VARANASI: In a major breakthrough, the Cyber Crime Station in Varanasi has successfully apprehended the leader of an interstate gang involved in cyber crimes. The gang, which operated through a fake website named www.digitalportal.in, orchestrated various illegal activities such as creating counterfeit identification documents like Aadhaar cards and PAN cards, as well as opening fake SIM cards and bank accounts.
The arrest of the gang leader, identified as Pankaj Kumar Yadav was made possible through the dedicated efforts of the Cyber Crime Station Varanasi.
MODUS OPERANDI OF THE GANG
Creation of fraudulent accounts: The gang’s website operator would create fake accounts for individuals who wanted to use their services. These accounts could be set up using either a mobile number or an email ID.
Website services: Once logged into the website, users were presented with options to create fake Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and other digital documents. To do so, they were required to provide their Aadhaar number, along with personal details such as name, address, photograph, and other necessary information.
Generation of fabricated documents: After a brief processing period, the website would generate counterfeit Aadhaar cards and PAN cards based on the submitted information. These fabricated documents appeared legitimate but were entirely fraudulent.
Payment for document printing: To obtain a printed copy of the fake Aadhaar card, users had to make a payment of INR 21, while INR 50 was charged for the PAN card. The payments were processed through the website’s designated payment gateway.
Utilization of fraudulent documents: Once the payment was made and the documents were generated, the gang would use these counterfeit Aadhaar cards and PAN cards to open fake bank accounts and acquire mobile numbers. These acquired assets served as tools for conducting various cyber criminal activities.
Financial gains: The gang’s website operator reportedly earned an estimated income of INR 25,000 per day from this operation. The seizure of the operator’s laptop and mobile devices revealed their involvement in managing two additional websites and associated payment gateways.
Police officials are currently conducting investigations into these websites and the two payment gateways to uncover the extent of the gang’s activities and potential connections to other cyber criminal networks.
By employing this modus operandi, the gang profited from the fraudulent creation of bank accounts and acquisition of mobile numbers, while simultaneously victimizing unsuspecting individuals by involving them in cyber crimes.
In response to a previous crackdown on cyber criminals, law enforcement authorities have recently taken action against a gang involved in fraudulent activities. The gang specifically targeted retired policemen and paramilitary personnel, exploiting their provident fund and pension accounts to withdraw substantial sums of money.
Investigations conducted by the cyber crime police revealed that the arrested criminals employed deceptive tactics to mislead retired law enforcement officers. Posing as treasury officers, they enticed their victims with various schemes and offers. Once they obtained the retirees’ Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and other personal details, they proceeded to illicitly withdraw funds from their accounts.
Following the registration of the case, the dedicated team at the Cybercrime Police Station Varanasi worked relentlessly to investigate the matter. As a result, eight individuals suspected of being involved in cybercrime have been apprehended.
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During the interrogations, startling revelations came to light regarding the accused individuals’ modus operandi. They had been exploiting the website www.digitalportal.in for illegal activities, such as the unauthorized creation of Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and other digital documents. Additionally, the accused individuals were found to be acquiring mobile SIM cards and opening bank accounts using the forged credentials.
These ill-gotten bank accounts and mobile numbers were subsequently utilized to carry out various cybercrime incidents.
During the course of the investigation, the diligent team at the Cybercrime Police Station Varanasi managed to gather crucial information regarding the website’s domain details, hosting information, call panel logs, SSL logs, and payment gateway records.
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