From Victim to Villain: The Unraveling of a Multi-Crore Job Scam
In a startling case of criminal transformation, a man who was once cheated in an online job scam turned into the mastermind of an identical fraud operation that duped approximately 300 people across India. The elaborate scheme was busted during Delhi Police's recent anti-cyber crime operation 'Cyber Hawk', leading to the arrest of three individuals including the kingpin.
The Operation Cyber Hawk Breakthrough
The investigation gained momentum when a resident of Shaheen Bagh filed a complaint alleging he was cheated of Rs 13,500 by fraudsters promising him employment. According to police officials, the victim had transferred the amount to a bank account, following which authorities served notices to the bank to obtain the account holder's details.
Dr Hemant Tiwari, DCP (South-East), revealed that transactions worth around Rs 3 crore have been detected so far, with the possibility of this amount increasing as the investigation progresses. "They duped people on the pretext of providing employment. So far, we have identified around 300 victims. We have detected transactions worth around Rs 3 crore, and this can go up," the DCP stated.
The police have identified 16 bank accounts linked to the scam and seized substantial evidence including 23 debit cards, a hard disk, 18 laptops and 20 mobile phones from the accused.
The Mastermind's Downward Spiral
The central figure in this criminal network, Mohammad Mehtab Alam (36), had himself fallen victim to a similar job scam in 2018 where he lost Rs 999. According to police records, Alam had approached authorities after being cheated, but the case didn't receive priority attention due to the relatively small amount involved.
Instead of learning from his unfortunate experience, Alam saw an opportunity in crime. Police investigations reveal that Alam started duping people since 2019, eventually establishing a sophisticated call centre-style fake job racket. He operated primarily from Mayur Vihar Phase-3 and employed telecalling staff to contact potential victims.
An officer involved in the investigation shared revealing details about Alam's methods: "Alam initially started with duping people of amounts lower than Rs 2,000, and gradually increased the amount. He said he was aware that his greed would land him in trouble some day."
How the Elaborate Scam Worked
The modus operandi involved creating fake companies and posing as legitimate employers. The telecallers would contact job seekers, promising them employment opportunities, and then extract money under various pretexts such as registration fees, documentation charges, or security deposits.
Along with Alam, the police arrested Sandeep Singh (35) and Sanjeev Choudhary (36). Two other individuals, identified as Harshita and Shivam Rohilla, were bound down in the case.
The investigation took a crucial turn when police obtained the mobile number linked to the bank account used in the Shaheen Bagh case. This led them to Harshita, who revealed during questioning that her account was opened and the SIM purchased in her name before being handed over to Sanjeev.
Further analysis of call data records helped trace another number belonging to Shivam Rohilla to Amar Colony, ultimately revealing Sanjeev's involvement and identifying Alam as the kingpin.
Dr Tiwari added that comprehensive investigative measures are ongoing: "Forensic extraction of digital devices, bank statement mapping, UPI/wallet tracing and CCTV requisitions at ATM cash-out locations are in progress to establish the full transaction trail and identify additional conspirators and beneficiaries."
The case highlights the growing sophistication of cyber crimes in India and serves as a cautionary tale for job seekers to verify employment opportunities through official channels before transferring any money.
