Cybercrime police in Hyderabad have arrested three individuals in connection with two separate cyber fraud cases involving fake investment schemes and part-time job scams. Authorities said refunds amounting to ₹16.28 lakh were secured for victims through court orders over the past week.
According to police, one of the arrests is linked to an investment fraud case, while the remaining two are connected to a part-time job scam in which bank accounts were used to facilitate illegal fund transfers. The arrests followed a detailed financial and technical investigation into digital transaction trails and linked bank accounts.
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Refunds secured through court intervention
Police said that between January 11 and January 17, refunds totalling ₹16,28,616 were credited back to victims’ accounts after obtaining court approvals. The recovered funds were traced from bank accounts used by cyber fraudsters to park and move cheated money.
Officials said efforts are continuing to identify and recover additional amounts linked to other victims and accounts under investigation.
Investment fraud aided through bank account access
In the first case, police said the accused assisted an online investment scam by providing access to a bank account that was later used to receive fraud proceeds. Investigators found that a current account was opened in the name of a business entity and banking credentials were knowingly shared with cyber fraudsters.
Using this account, approximately ₹16 lakh was transferred from a victim who had been lured through a fake online investment scheme promising high returns. Police said the accused received commissions for facilitating these transactions and has been remanded to judicial custody.
Authorities also confirmed that the same individual is linked to two other cybercrime cases registered outside Telangana, indicating a wider pattern of involvement in financial fraud.
Part-time job scam operated through Telegram
In the second case, two individuals were arrested for operating mule bank accounts used in a part-time job fraud. Police said the scam was run through a Telegram group that offered online tasks related to hotel bookings, promising easy earnings for minimal work.
The victim was persuaded to transfer money after being shown fabricated profits and task completion records. Investigators said the victim suffered losses exceeding ₹47 lakh, of which ₹1 lakh was later recovered and refunded through legal procedures.
Accounts linked to multiple states
Police said the mule bank accounts used in the part-time job fraud were linked to cybercrime cases reported in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, highlighting the inter-state nature of the operation. Financial analysis showed that funds were rapidly moved across accounts to evade detection.
Officials said such mule account networks are increasingly being used by cybercriminals to distance themselves from victims and law enforcement.
Focus on mule account misuse
Investigators said both cases underline the growing misuse of bank accounts by individuals who knowingly allow their accounts to be used for illegal transactions in exchange for commissions. Police reiterated that account holders can be held criminally liable even if they are not directly interacting with victims.
Authorities said further analysis of seized digital and banking records is underway to identify additional links, beneficiaries, and victims.
Public advisory
Cybercrime police have urged citizens to remain cautious of unsolicited investment offers and part-time job messages received through social media or messaging platforms. Officials advised the public to verify the legitimacy of financial schemes and report suspicious activity immediately through official cybercrime reporting channels.
Police said investigations in both cases are ongoing and further arrests or recoveries cannot be ruled out.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
