Cyber Crime
Telangana Police Crack Down on Rs 4,23,65,000 Cyber Scam, Five Arrested
Jagtial: Telangana police have dismantled a sophisticated fraud network, leading to the arrest of five individuals from Kerala. The suspects were part of a cybercrime syndicate that manipulated money transfers across over 200 bank accounts, siphoning off a total of Rs 4.23 crore from a single victim. The complex scam, involving multiple states across India, was primarily orchestrated through deceitful telecommunication.
The victim, Basetti Sankaraiah from Jagtial, was targeted by the syndicate in November of the previous year. He received a call from a woman claiming to be Sarika Varma from Mumbai, who falsely informed him that his Aadhaar card had been misused in connection with a money laundering case. Under the guise of resolving the issue, the victim was persuaded to transfer Rs 3.23 crore into various accounts, with promises of a full refund upon completion of the so-called investigation.
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Coerced into Transferring an Additional Crore
As the scheme progressed, Sankaraiah was coerced into transferring an additional crore, elevating his total losses to Rs 4.23 crore. The fraudsters exploited the victim’s trust to the extent that they even convinced him to sell his 20-year-old shares and send the proceeds to them. However, growing suspicions led Sankaraiah to confront the fraudsters and eventually cease communication with them, prompting him to report the matter to the police on November 27, 2023.
The police formed a special team led by DSP Ranga Reddy, which traced part of the stolen funds to an account associated with Skyline Travels in Kerala. The investigation revealed that Shaukat Ali, the account holder, had been duped into participating in the scam by a person named Sanjay via the Telegram app, under the promise of receiving a portion of the money. Similar methods were used to manipulate other individuals and businesses across different states, including Arunachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
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The swift action of the police led to the arrest of the five individuals involved in receiving the ill-gotten money. The efforts of the special team, commended by District SP Sunpreet Singh, have shed light on the vast and intricate network of this cybercrime racket. The investigation continues as authorities work to uncover further extents of this elaborate scam.