LUCKNOW — Law enforcements in Lucknow, in collaboration with the Cyber Crime Cell, has successfully taken down an inter-state cyber fraud operation, leading to the arrest of two individuals from Delhi. The pair are accused of developing and utilizing counterfeit bank websites and mobile applications to illicitly obtain the credit card details and funds of numerous victims.
The Deceptive Tactics
The arrested individuals allegedly masterminded a scheme where they created convincing replicas of legitimate bank portals and applications. Posing as customer service representatives from well-known financial institutions, they would initiate unsolicited phone calls to potential victims. During these calls, they would offer enticing but ultimately fake services, such as instant increases in credit card limits, activation of fictitious insurance benefits, urgent account verifications, or assistance with non-existent card closures.
Enticing Victims with Fake Links
Once a victim was engaged and seemingly convinced of the legitimacy of the offer, the fraudsters would send them a link often via SMS or messaging platforms like WhatsApp. These links directed victims to download fraudulent Android Package Kit (APK) files or visit the counterfeit websites. The interfaces of these fake apps and sites were carefully designed to mirror those of genuine banking services, further deceiving unsuspecting individuals into believing they were interacting with their actual bank.
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Exploiting Stolen Data for Personal Gain
Upon entering their sensitive personal and financial data, including credit card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes, into the fake platforms, the fraudsters immediately gained access to this information. They then used these stolen details to conduct online purchases, primarily focusing on high-value items such as mobile phones and electronic gadgets. To finalize these transactions, the victims were often tricked into providing the crucial One Time Password (OTP) sent by their banks, under the guise of a final verification step.
Arrest and Recovery of Assets
The elaborate fraud came to light following a formal complaint lodged by a resident of Lucknow who had been defrauded of a substantial sum. The cyber cell initiated a thorough technical investigation, which involved surveillance, call detail analysis, and tracing digital footprints, ultimately leading the authorities to the suspects in Delhi. A raid on their premises resulted in the seizure of a significant number of mobile phones, numerous active SIM cards from various providers, a laptop, computer peripherals, and a considerable amount of cash, all believed to be proceeds or tools of the fraudulent activities. Authorities are continuing their investigation to identify additional victims and fully ascertain the extent of the criminal enterprise.