Mangaluru Police Bust Cyber Fraud Ring Using Stolen Bank Accounts
In a significant crackdown on digital crime, the Mangaluru City police have apprehended two individuals accused of orchestrating a sophisticated cyber fraud operation. The arrested suspects, identified as Mohammed Aneesh, aged 30 from Kasaba Bengre, Kuloor Post, and Saleeth Ahmed M, aged 32 from Surathkal, are alleged to have exploited numerous bank accounts for fraudulent activities.
Complaint Leads to Investigation
The case unfolded when a complainant, Mohammed Sinan, approached the Mangaluru City cyber crime police station on Wednesday. He reported that his bank account had been taken by his acquaintances, Mohammed Aneesh and Saleeth Ahmed M, under the false pretense of using it for a trading business. Subsequently, the account was misused for cyber fraud, prompting immediate police action.
Based on this complaint, authorities registered a case under multiple legal provisions. These include sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, along with sections 308(5), 318(4), 319(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). During the investigation, technical evidence was meticulously collected and analyzed to build a strong case against the accused.
Modus Operandi Revealed
During interrogation, the accused disclosed their elaborate scheme. They purchased USDT (Tether) from Indians at a lower price and sold it at a higher price to scammers based in China. In a twist, the Chinese scammers transferred money obtained from cyber fraud committed against Indians into the bank accounts provided by the accused. To facilitate these transactions, the duo actively collected bank accounts from the general public in Mangaluru.
Police investigations confirmed that the accused had full knowledge of the cyber fraud. Whenever complaints were registered against the bank accounts used for such activities, and the accounts were frozen, they simply collected new bank accounts and continued their fraudulent operations unabated.
Extensive Network Uncovered
Further revelations from the interrogation exposed the scale of their operation. The accused had collected more than 70 bank account details from the public in Mangaluru city, using them extensively for cyber fraud. Out of these, 37 bank accounts were already reported on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), with over 88 complaints registered across the country, highlighting the widespread impact of their activities.
Significant Seizures Made
In a decisive move, the police seized substantial evidence from the accused, including:
- Four mobile phones
- 18 debit cards
- 17 bank passbooks
- Six cheque books
- USDT 1,479.31
- A car
These items are crucial for the ongoing investigation, which aims to uncover further details and possibly more accomplices involved in this cyber fraud network.
Ongoing Investigation
The Mangaluru City police are continuing their investigation to trace all connections and ensure that justice is served. This case underscores the growing threat of cyber fraud in urban areas and the importance of public vigilance in safeguarding personal financial information.
