In a major crackdown on sophisticated cybercrime, the Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Operations (IFSO) Unit of the Delhi Police has dismantled a sprawling SIM Box operation that was active across multiple Indian states. The police have arrested seven key individuals involved in the racket, which notably includes a Taiwanese national.
The Mechanics of a SIM Box Scam
According to officials, the criminal group exploited vulnerabilities within telecom systems to establish a large-scale network. At the heart of this network were SIM Boxes – specialized hardware devices capable of holding hundreds of SIM cards simultaneously. These boxes were used to illegally route international phone calls as local domestic calls, allowing the operators to bypass legitimate telecom charges and evade regulatory scrutiny.
During coordinated raids, investigators seized thousands of illegally procured SIM cards that were loaded into these devices. Police revealed that the equipment was not only used for call routing but also to run mass SMS campaigns. These messages contained phishing links, bogus loan offers, and fraudulent investment schemes designed to trap unsuspecting victims nationwide.
Evading Law Enforcement and Tracing
The sophisticated setup provided a critical shield for the scammers. By masking the true origin of the calls and text messages, the accused made it extremely challenging for security agencies to trace the scams back to their source. This layer of anonymity facilitated their pan-India cyber fraud activities against ordinary citizens.
The IFSO Unit has stated that further investigation into the intricate workings of this racket is currently underway to uncover the full extent of its operations and potential connections.
Link to a Fake Government Job Racket
In a related development that underscores the evolving nature of cyber fraud, the Delhi Police provided details of another major bust by the IFSO Unit in December 2025. The unit had dismantled an elaborate fake recruitment scam that specifically targeted job seekers across the country.
The accused posed as officials from the prestigious Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which operates under the Union Ministry of Culture. They created a forged but highly convincing replica of the official ASI recruitment portal. The fake website used identical logos, colour schemes, and layouts, making it nearly impossible for applicants to distinguish it from the genuine government website.
The gang fraudulently advertised 91 non-existent vacancies – seven for Curator posts and 84 for Junior Assistant posts. To lure victims, they aggressively circulated links to this fake portal through college student groups, online forums, and popular messaging platforms.
A formal case in this matter was registered under FIR No. 268/25 at the Special Cell police station. The charges were framed under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), India's new penal code. These twin crackdowns highlight the increasing focus of law enforcement on complex, technology-driven crimes that prey on the public.
