Ghaziabad: Police in Muradnagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, have uncovered an organised cyber fraud network that allegedly created fake transport company profiles on Justdial to deceive customers seeking vehicle transportation services. According to investigators, the accused offered transport at unusually low rates, collected advance payments ranging from 10% to 50% of the booking amount, and then switched off their mobile phones, cutting off all communication with victims. Four suspects have been arrested, while four others remain absconding. Police believe the gang operated across multiple states using fake SIM cards, mule bank accounts, and identity documents obtained from villagers.
The arrested accused have been identified as Dashmesh, Saurabh Singh, Abhishek Awasthi, and Rakesh Singh. According to police, other alleged members of the network—Vikas, Ajay, Surjeet, and Vijay—are still being traced. During questioning, investigators found that Saurabh allegedly created fake transport companies using addresses in Gujarat and Maharashtra and listed them on Justdial to attract customers. Victims looking for transport services were promised competitive rates and asked to pay an advance online before any vehicle was dispatched.
Investigators said the gang relied extensively on fake SIM cards and bank accounts to conceal its identity. According to police, the accused visited rural areas and persuaded residents to obtain SIM cards in their names by offering incentives such as discounted mobile recharges, gifts, and other benefits. Using the victims’ identity documents, the gang allegedly obtained two or three SIM cards per person, which were later used to communicate with victims during the fraud. Once the scam was completed, the SIM cards were abandoned to avoid detection.
Police further alleged that Dashmesh played a key role in arranging bank accounts opened in the names of unsuspecting villagers. Investigators said he possessed an NSDL banking services ID, which he allegedly used to mislead people into opening bank accounts. He reportedly received around ₹4,000 for every account opened. These accounts were then used to receive money collected through cyber fraud before the funds were quickly withdrawn.
According to investigators, the gang immediately withdrew cash from ATMs as soon as victims transferred money into the accounts, making it difficult for authorities to trace the funds or freeze the transactions. After the withdrawals, both the bank accounts and the associated mobile numbers were abandoned, allowing the group to continue operating with new identities.
The investigation also revealed that the accused deliberately changed their physical locations while speaking to victims in order to avoid being tracked. They allegedly made calls from roadsides and different public places rather than fixed premises. Police said the gang preferred inexpensive keypad mobile phones for their operations and destroyed the devices after completing their activities to eliminate digital evidence. Officers recovered one keypad phone allegedly used in the fraud, along with four purchase invoices for mobile phones.
Preliminary findings indicate that the network operated 64 bank accounts, leading investigators to suspect that the gang may have defrauded victims of more than ₹10 million (₹1 crore) over the past year. Police believe the syndicate could be linked to more than 100 cyber fraud cases. So far, investigators have identified cases connected to Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and West Bengal, while inquiries are continuing to determine whether additional states were affected.
According to experts at the Future Crime Research Foundation, fake online business profiles, mule bank accounts, and temporary SIM cards have become key tools used by organised cybercrime groups. They advise consumers to independently verify the authenticity of transport, logistics, or other service providers before making any advance payment. Experts also caution against relying solely on online business listings and recommend immediately reporting any suspected cyber fraud to the appropriate authorities to improve the chances of tracing stolen funds and identifying those responsible.
