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In a major action under Uttar Pradesh’s ongoing crackdown on cybercrime, Auraiya Police have dismantled a fraud operation that was allegedly impersonating government schemes to dupe citizens across multiple states. Acting on the directives of DGP Rajiv Krishna, police teams initiated the action as part of the statewide cybercrime enforcement drive. The arrests were made following data-driven analysis of complaints filed on the Pratibimb Portal and the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
According to officials, the accused operated primarily through social media—particularly Facebook—where they created fake helpline numbers and pages in the name of various government welfare schemes. After luring victims with promises of financial assistance, subsidies or scheme registration, the group sent forged “approval letters” and collected money through QR codes.
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Linked to Cyber Fraud Cases Spread Across 26 Districts and States
Preliminary investigation revealed that mobile numbers associated with the accused were connected to at least 26 cyber fraud complaints filed in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and several other states. The pattern, police said, indicates a wide-ranging, coordinated cyber network operating beyond district and state boundaries.
Joint Operation by Bela Police Station and Cyber Cell
A joint team of the Bela police station and the district cyber cell conducted raids and arrested all three accused. Officials said the group targeted victims by promising benefits under fictitious or misrepresented government schemes. To build credibility, they used sophisticated forgery tools—creating counterfeit IDs, stamps, seals and government-style sanction letters.
Arrested Accused Identified
- 1. Shiv Pratap alias Ravi, son of Dinesh Singh — Resident of Bela, Auraiya
- 2. Jitendra Singh alias Mithun, son of Satish Singh — Resident of Amritpur Kaithawa, Bela, Auraiya
- 3. Rahul, son of Chandrapal — Resident of Rooria, Sirsaganj, Firozabad
Police said the trio operated as active members of a broader online fraud ecosystem, maintaining a structured workflow for generating fake digital identities and managing fraudulent transactions.
Cash, Vehicles and Digital Evidence Seized
During the operation, police recovered significant amounts of cash and incriminating digital evidence. The seizure includes:
- ₹9,21,000 in cash
- Two vehicles: Tata Curvv (without number plate) and Mahindra XUV 300 (UP79AB3455)
- 1 laptop, 3 pen drives, 6 mobile phones
- 4 forged seals, Kisan Union ID card
- 2 driving licences, 4 Aadhaar cards, 2 PAN cards, 4 debit/credit cards
Officers said these documents and devices were used for identity manipulation, banking operations, and generating multiple fake profiles to keep the fraud cycle running undetected.
Intelligence-Driven Policing Boosts Crackdown
According to UP Police, recent upgrades in cyber-investigation training, data-analytics capability and inter-departmental coordination have significantly strengthened field units. Officials stated that the integration of complaint-analysis tools with local policing has accelerated the detection of fake call centres, online fraud modules and illicit payment networks.
Enhanced coordination between district units and regional cyber cells has improved response time and increased the success rate in identifying cyber actors who operate across jurisdictions.
Rise of Social-Media-Driven Financial Frauds
Authorities noted a rapid surge in fraudulent social-media campaigns operated in the name of government schemes—particularly in rural and semi-urban areas. These scams often involve the use of QR codes, phishing links and fake messenger chats to convince victims and siphon off money.
Police urged citizens to verify any information related to government schemes, registration processes or helpline numbers strictly through official government websites or departmental portals.
Police Appeal: Report Cyber Fraud Immediately
UP Police reiterated that victims of cyber fraud must immediately call the 1930 Cyber Fraud Helpline or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in. Timely reporting, officials said, enables the police and banks to freeze fraudulent transactions, significantly increasing the chances of recovering lost funds.
