Gorakhpur. A major telecom fraud involving the alleged misuse of mobile SIM cards issued in Gorakhpur and nearby regions has come to light after telecom operator Airtel reported losses exceeding ₹1.7 crore. According to the company, fraudsters allegedly converted locally issued mobile connections into e-SIMs, activated them on international roaming, and used them overseas to generate massive volumes of international call traffic.
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Locally Issued SIM Cards Used on Overseas Networks
A case has been registered at the Cantt police station in Gorakhpur on the complaint of Airtel nodal officer Kaushalendra Tripathi. Investigators suspect the operation may not be limited to a local network and could be linked to a larger international telecom fraud syndicate. Officials say such scams typically exploit foreign call-routing systems, digital identities, and technical loopholes in telecom infrastructure.
According to the complaint submitted by the company, hundreds of mobile numbers were flagged during routine technical and financial audits conducted between January and April. Preliminary analysis revealed that the SIM cards had initially been issued through Airtel outlets in Gorakhpur and surrounding areas, but soon after activation they became operational on overseas telecom networks.
Technical investigation further revealed that several SIM cards had been converted into e-SIMs before being activated for international roaming services. Shortly thereafter, the numbers were allegedly used to generate an unusually high volume of international calls within a very short period. Officials stated that most of these calls were routed to premium-rate and high-cost international numbers where call charges are significantly higher than standard rates.
IRSF Method Points to Sophisticated Telecom Fraud
Telecom experts describe this type of fraud as International Revenue Sharing Fraud (IRSF). In such operations, cybercriminals exploit weaknesses in international telecom routing systems to artificially generate call traffic. The illegal traffic allows foreign telecom entities or associated groups to earn revenue shares, while the originating telecom service provider bears the financial losses.
Investigators believe the accused also exploited technical delays within the international roaming ecosystem. According to Airtel, call detail records (CDRs) for international roaming users are usually received from foreign telecom networks with a delay of four to five hours. Fraudsters allegedly used this delay window to generate massive ISD traffic before detection systems could identify and suspend the suspicious activity.
The company claims that the fraud caused losses of more than ₹1.7 crore within the Uttar Pradesh telecom circle alone. Authorities are now examining whether similar suspicious patterns were observed in other states and whether the network had links to foreign telecom syndicates. Police have secured relevant technical records and digital evidence for detailed forensic examination.
Probe Expands to KYC Records, Roaming Logs and Possible Facilitators
Officials involved in the probe said investigators are analysing KYC documents, activation records, roaming requests, IP logs, and digital device data associated with the suspicious SIM cards. Authorities also suspect that forged identities, manipulated customer verification processes, or mule accounts may have been used to obtain the mobile connections.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said that modern telecom fraud networks are increasingly combining cyber techniques, financial crime methods, and international routing systems to evade detection. According to him, fraudsters often rely on temporary digital identities, e-SIM technology, and real-time traffic manipulation to avoid immediate scrutiny. He added that telecom companies and investigative agencies must strengthen real-time monitoring systems, AI-driven fraud detection mechanisms, and international carrier coordination to counter such organised telecom crimes.
Police and technical investigation agencies are currently working to identify all individuals involved in the suspected network. Officials said the role of telecom distributors, foreign network operators, and possible internal facilitators is also being examined. Investigators believe the case could lead to further disclosures regarding sophisticated cross-border telecom fraud operations in the coming weeks.
