Cyber Crime
Cyber Criminals’ International Web Dubai-Pakistan Connection Exposed in Dehradun Fraud Case
DEHRADUN: The Special Task Force (STF) and the Cyber Crime team in Uttarakhand arrested a scammer from Rajasthan involved in an online scam. The scam revolved around deceiving unsuspecting victims, both in India and abroad, by assuming false identities and extracting money from them under various pretexts.
Investigators have got the link of the fraud with scammers based in Dubai and Pakistan. Police are still investigating money flow, number of people who became the victim of the scam and the international network.
Deceptive Online Strategies
According to the officials, the scam involved creating fake websites and reaching out to their targets through WhatsApp, email, telephone calls, and other social media platforms. Fraudsters posed as HR representatives from reputed companies, enticing people to earn money effortlessly by engaging in tasks like liking and subscribing to YouTube videos through platforms such as Telegram and YouTube. Victims, lured by the promise of easy profits, ended up losing substantial sums of money in the name of these so-called tasks.
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A Heartbreaking Case
In a particular case reported to the Cyber Crime Police Station, a resident of Patel Nagar, Dehradun, was swindled out of Rs 9,40,000 by unknown individuals via a phone call. The ordeal began when the victim’s wife received a call from a number claiming to be their son Harpreet’s friend, Sarab, living in Canada.
They expressed a desire to purchase land in India, with a budget of up to Rs 80,00,000, and sent a transfer receipt of Rs 15,00,000. However, the amount never materialized in the victim’s account.
Subsequently, the perpetrators called, claiming to be a travel agent named Guru Charan Singh, residing in Kirti Nagar, Delhi, and urged the victim to deposit Rs 2,50,000 into a State Bank of India account to help ailing family members. Falling for the ruse, the complainant complied and deposited cash into the specified account using an ATM machine. This unfortunate incident resulted in a cumulative loss of Rs 9,40,000 through multiple transactions.
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Legal Action Taken
In response to the victim’s complaint, a case was registered under IPC sections 307/23, 420, and 120 B of IPC against unknown suspects at the Patel Nagar Police Station in Dehradun.
As the police team gathered information about the mobile number involved in the incident and tracked the funds received by the accused, it became apparent that the accused had exploited the victim by pretending to be their son’s friend from Canada. The fraudsters had sent fake messages about money transfers and falsely assured that the funds were deposited in various accounts.
Photo Caption: Dharmendra Kumar, the son of Seojiram, a resident of Ward No. 04 in Losail, Tehsil Dataramgarh, District Sikar, Rajasthan arrested by Uttarakhand Police in international scam.
Technical analysis led to the discovery that the primary suspect had links to Rajasthan. A team was dispatched to investigate further.
Arrest and Seizure
The relentless efforts of the police team paid off when they uncovered bank accounts opened under fake identities that had received the fraudulently obtained funds. The account holder’s information was gathered as evidence, leading to the arrest of Dharmendra Kumar, resident of District Sikar, Rajasthan.
A Complex Web of Deceit
The investigation revealed a network of criminals operating across international borders. Some of the accused were based in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, working together to defraud Indians. They collected Rials from Indian individuals and promised to convert the foreign currency into Indian Rupees, amassing substantial sums of money in the process. The accused perpetrated their crimes using fake SIM cards, ID cards, and bogus accounts.
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Dharmendra Kumar, the arrested man, admitted to collaborating with associates in Dubai and Pakistani agents to swindle unsuspecting victims. Further technical analysis indicated that there were initial connections to Pakistan and Dubai, suggesting a broader network at play.
The Cyber Crime Police Station in Dehradun, in coordination with the STF and the Cyber Crime team, has made significant progress in cracking down on this nationwide scam. Their dedication and tireless efforts have led to the apprehension of one of the key players behind these fraudulent activities. The case serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance and caution when interacting with unknown individuals online.