NEW DELHI: A startling trend has emerged in India’s National Capital Region: highly qualified youths, including IIT graduates and those with MCA, BCA, and BBA degrees, are turning to cybercrime. Authorities report that these individuals are using their technical expertise to empty unsuspecting people’s bank accounts through advanced phishing schemes and SIM-swapping tactics.
Police in Shahdara, South Delhi, and other districts have recently arrested several suspects. Cases include a BCA graduate, Himanshu, who led a gang that created a fake investment app and used it to defraud users by promising high returns. Similarly, IIT alumnus Shashikant allegedly orchestrated transactions worth ₹400 crore through shell companies. In Gorakhpur, a duo holding MCA and BBA degrees siphoned off around ₹10 crore via Telegram-based phishing operations.
Sophisticated Tactics and Digital Footprints
Investigators explain that these graduates employ professional-grade tools and insider knowledge to execute their scams. Tactics include SIM-block scams, digital arrests (fake malware lock screens), and misleading gift notifications. Once they gain access to a victim’s phone, they intercept OTPs and override KYC safeguards.
“He wiped his digital fingerprints by operating from hotels or even abroad, making detection extremely difficult,” said Prashant Gautam, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shahdara, during a press briefing.
Financial Advice Masquerade
Targets are lured with offers of free financial and crypto investment advice, often via WhatsApp groups or Telegram channels boasting tens of thousands of members. These platforms promote seemingly legitimate trading apps; once downloaded, victims are primed to enter personal credentials, giving perpetrators full access to bank-linked accounts.
Widening Net and Implications
Growing Scale and Complexity
Police have shone a spotlight on the scale of involvement: the Rajasthan squad, for instance, arrested four individuals in a ₹35 lakh scam, with Shashikant at its helm, linking him to ₹400 crore in transactions. In another case, MCA holder Nihal and BBA graduate Shashi Singh reportedly pilfered roughly ₹10 crore in a month.
Why Graduates Turn to Crime
Experts note that with high technical literacy and market competition, some young professionals are drawn to quick financial gains. However, authorities warn that such cyberfraud not only violates banking norms but also undermines public confidence in digital payment systems.
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Law Enforcement and Prevention Efforts
Police officials have urged citizens to remain sceptical of unsolicited investment tips and free advice. They recommend only consulting licensed financial advisors and registering complaints with cybercrime cells if suspicious activity arises.
The Delhi Police Cyber Unit has launched coordinated efforts to trace digital footprints, collaborate with telecom providers to secure SIM issuance, and freeze fraudulent bank transactions. Investigations remain active, with officials vowing strict action against those “using their education to facilitate economic crimes.”
About the Author – Sahhil Taware is a B.Sc. LL.B. (Hons.) student at National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, with a keen interest in corporate law and tech-driven legal change.