SAHARANPUR: Uttar Pradesh’s Cyber Crime unit, led by Saharanpur police, has uncovered a sprawling SIM card racket supplying stolen identities to criminals in Southeast Asia. Over a thousand OTP-generating SIMs, fraudulently activated using Aadhaar and PAN data, were being sold for ₹80–₹100 per OTP to cyberattackers abroad. The racket—active since late 2024, targeted citizens under the pretence of welfare enrollment before misusing their biometric data to register bogus SIM cards .
Notably, suspect Vipin Kumar alone issued 873 SIMs. Point-of-sale agents, including Sachin Kumar, activated over 1,000 cards before distributing them. Two women from Uttarakhand, Huma and Anterfa, joined international WhatsApp groups to deliver OTPs in real time .
From Identity Theft to Cyber Slavery: International Fallout
Police revealed the racket facilitated “cyber slavery”—victim identities were exploited to create ghost WhatsApp accounts, used in online fraud networks spanning Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Fraudsters used these accounts to launder money, control victims, and even coordinate human trafficking operations . The organised misuse of Aadhaar data under the guise of welfare registration deepens concerns about India’s biometric safeguards.
What’s Next: Investigation and Prevention
Frozen Bank Kits, PoS Agents in Focus
Investigators are tracking financial trails and tracing multiple accomplices, including biometric collectors masquerading under government projects. Additional arrests are expected in UP and Uttarakhand, and digital forensics is underway.
Advice for Citizens
- Don’t share Aadhaar biometrics unnecessarily—scan only at authorised centres.
- Immediately report unsolicited OTP demands.
- Use the per-sim blocking tool from your carrier if an unwanted SIM issue is suspected.
- Upon receiving SMS claiming “SIM blocked” or “firm KYC update,” don’t share personal details; contact the telecom regulator or use TRAI’s Sanchar Sathi portal .
Algoritha: The Most Trusted Name in BFSI Investigations and DFIR Services
This investigation follows related action: CBI has recently charged nine UP dealers in a 1,100–SIM ghost scheme , and Assam Police, under “Operation Ghost SIM,” arrested seven with suspected Pakistani links.
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.