Noida: The police have apprehended 13 members of a gang, including two masterminds, accused of defrauding foreigners by pretending to book airline tickets. The suspects specifically targeted individuals from the United States and Europe through social media platforms.
Raid and Arrests
According to Sector 63 police station SHO Amit Kakran, the police received a tip-off about the illegal operation on Saturday from a source. This led to a raid at their office in Sector 63, resulting in the arrests. The authorities seized 13 laptops, 16 mobile phones used in cybercrime, and other digital devices during the operation.
Masterminds Identified
The police identified the masterminds as Ravi Khurana (33) and Deepka Kumar (37), both residents of Delhi. The remaining 11 individuals worked as callers or in administrative roles at the fake call centre.
Legal Action
An FIR has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of cheating and forgery of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with applicable sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act.
Modus Operandi
The accused revealed that they lured targets from Europe and the US through advertisements on Facebook and Google Ads. When foreign nationals called the provided numbers, the suspects posed as representatives of airlines or travel agencies. They would deceive victims into providing personal information and paying for tickets, sending fake tickets scheduled months in advance. Many victims only realized they had been defrauded long after the scam.
“Payment was taken in dollars through international payment gateways. Examination of the seized devices showed transactions amounting to around Rs 10 crore in USD and data stolen from victims. The accused are highly educated and would quickly trap foreign citizens by speaking to them in American and European accents and gaining their confidence,” the SHO said.
