The cyber crime unit of Ghaziabad district has uncovered a sprawling cyber fraud operation involving over ₹109 crore in losses across 450+ reported cases. Investigations revealed that 97 mobile numbers used in these frauds originated from West Bengal, pointing to a well-coordinated inter-state cybercrime racket.
The revelation came during a two-day strategic workshop organized by the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center (I4C). The workshop brought together Additional Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners of Police from across Uttar Pradesh, including cyber officials from Ghaziabad.
The probe found that while Ghaziabad was the focal point, the fraudsters’ reach extended nationally and even internationally, employing fake calls, phishing, and online scams as their primary methods. The criminals lured victims with fake schemes, impersonated banks and government authorities, or directed users to malicious links for data and financial theft.
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New Cybercrime Hotspots Identified in Bengal, Jharkhand, Haryana, and Rajasthan
The investigation has shed light on the shifting geography of cybercrime in India. Authorities traced the cybercriminal activity to 24 cities in West Bengal, but also uncovered active syndicates in several parts of Jharkhand, including:
- Deoghar
- Jamtara
- Dumka
- Dhanbad
- Giridih
- Ranchi
- Hazaribagh
In addition to Jharkhand and Bengal, Nuh district in Haryana and Deeng district in Rajasthan, both adjacent to the National Capital Region (NCR), were identified as emerging cybercrime hotspots. These regions have become dens for scam call centers and phishing operations, often leveraging remote tools and spoofed identities to evade detection.
Ghaziabad Police confirmed that 97 SIM cards traced to Bengal were used in these frauds, targeting not only residents of Uttar Pradesh but also individuals across India and abroad. These findings have strengthened the need for interstate cyber surveillance and collaborative crackdowns.
Preventive Measures and Action Plan: Ghaziabad to Launch Raids
During the NCRP-I4C workshop, police officials from multiple districts shared strategies for prevention and mitigation, with a focus on:
- Real-time tracing of suspicious mobile numbers
- Digital footprint analysis
- Coordination between states to track and arrest cybercriminals
The Ghaziabad Police have now drawn up plans to raid identified locations in Bengal, Jharkhand, Haryana, and Rajasthan. They also issued a public advisory urging citizens to avoid engaging with unknown calls or links, and to report any suspicious digital activity to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in) or local police stations.
“People must remain alert and report immediately. Our teams are tracking these fraud networks with precision, and strict legal action will follow,” said a senior officer from Ghaziabad’s cyber crime unit.
The crackdown is part of a larger nationwide effort to dismantle cyber fraud rings and protect citizens from rapidly evolving digital financial threats.