Chandigarh | Cyber police in Haryana’s Mahendergarh district have busted a major online fraud network and arrested a Jaipur-based commerce postgraduate accused of being part of an interstate cybercrime racket that allegedly siphoned nearly ₹10 lakh from the bank account of a retired bank employee. Investigators say the network used fake pension benefit links, malicious APK files and digital payment channels to target victims.
According to the case details, the complainant, a retired bank employee from Narnaul, approached the cyber police station in March after discovering that more than ₹10 lakh had suddenly disappeared from his bank account. During the preliminary investigation, officials found that the victim had clicked on a social media advertisement claiming to offer “pensioner retirement benefits.”
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Investigating agencies said that immediately after clicking the link, a suspicious APK file was installed on the victim’s mobile phone. Shortly afterward, fraudsters posing as officials from the bank’s HR department contacted the victim and kept him engaged in conversation while secretly gaining remote access to his device.
The investigation revealed that the cyber criminals prematurely liquidated the victim’s fixed deposit (FD) and transferred a total of ₹10,01,072 from his account through multiple channels. Police officials stated that the entire operation was carefully planned to make the banking transactions appear legitimate and routine.
Based on technical analysis and digital trail evidence, police arrested the accused, identified as Harsh, from Jaipur’s Sanganer area. During interrogation, investigators learned that the accused was allegedly in constant contact with a Bihar-based mastermind and received operational instructions through Telegram and WhatsApp.
According to investigators, instead of using conventional bank accounts, the syndicate allegedly relied on fraudulently created Common Service Center (CSC) IDs to move the defrauded money across multiple accounts. This method reportedly made it difficult for authorities to trace the original source of funds and identify the final beneficiaries.
Police investigations further revealed that members of the gang used social media platforms and Telegram groups to lure people with promises of discounted payments for electricity bills, LIC premiums and credit card dues. The accused allegedly collected cash from customers and cleared their bills online using money obtained through cyber fraud.
Officials said this mechanism allowed the gang to convert stolen money into seemingly legitimate financial transactions while earning hefty commissions in the process. Investigators suspect that the network may be operating across multiple states, and agencies are now conducting a deeper examination of its digital financial trail.
An FIR has been registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Cyber police are currently trying to determine how many victims may have been targeted by the syndicate and the total amount siphoned off through similar frauds.
Cybersecurity experts have warned people to remain cautious about social media links claiming to provide “government schemes,” “pension updates” or “bank benefits.” Experts noted that downloading unknown APK files can be extremely dangerous, as such files may allow cyber criminals to gain complete control over a user’s mobile device.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said cyber criminals are increasingly relying on social engineering tactics to manipulate victims. He advised people not to trust unsolicited banking or pension-related calls and to verify all information only through official websites or authorised bank branches.
