Surat Cybercrime Police Uncover Sophisticated POS Machine Fraud Network
In a significant crackdown on financial cybercrime, the Surat Cybercrime Police have arrested three individuals for their alleged involvement in a sophisticated fraud operation. The accused are charged with obtaining point-of-sale (POS) machines through fraudulent means and supplying them to criminal gangs engaged in debit card cloning and illegal money withdrawals.
Modus Operandi of the Fraudulent Scheme
The investigation was initiated following a complaint from a Surat resident, who reported that the credentials of his firm, Shidhi Vinayak Novelty, were misused to fraudulently obtain an Udyam certificate. This certificate was then allegedly used to acquire POS machines from banks under false pretenses.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Manthan Kukadiya, Priyanshu Mehta, and Uday Dhaduk. According to police officials, Kukadiya played a central role in the operation by procuring bogus Udyam certificates and using them to get POS machines issued from banks, specifically mentioning Axis Bank in one instance.
Connection to Interstate Criminal Gangs
Police revealed that Kukadiya managed to obtain four such POS machines, which were subsequently supplied to criminal gangs operating in Haryana and Rajasthan. These gangs specialized in cloning debit cards through various methods, including skimming devices at ATMs to capture card details.
"Once the gangs obtained debit card information and created cloned cards, they would use these fraudulent cards on the POS machines supplied by the Surat-based accused," explained a cybercrime police officer involved in the investigation.
Money Laundering and Financial Transactions
The fraudulent transactions followed a carefully orchestrated pattern:
- Cloned debit cards were swiped on the fraudulently obtained POS machines
- Money was transferred to bank accounts linked to the firms to which the POS machines were registered
- The funds were then withdrawn in Surat through various means
- After withdrawal, the money was sent back to the Rajasthan gang using cash deposit machines
Police investigations have uncovered that more than Rs 11 lakh was deposited into three different bank accounts through the POS machines supplied by Kukadiya. Priyanshu Mehta allegedly withdrew Rs 2 lakh from one of these accounts and deposited it into bank accounts as directed by Uday Dhaduk.
Broader Criminal Network Involvement
Uday Dhaduk's role in the operation was particularly significant, as police determined he was directly associated with the Haryana and Rajasthan gangs and responsible for supplying them with the fraudulently obtained POS machines. This connection facilitated the interstate nature of the criminal enterprise.
The case highlights growing concerns about the misuse of government certification systems like Udyam registration for fraudulent financial activities. It also underscores the sophisticated methods employed by cybercriminals to exploit banking infrastructure for illegal gains.
Surat Cybercrime Police continue their investigation to identify additional members of the criminal network and recover the fraudulently obtained funds. The arrests represent a significant breakthrough in combating organized financial cybercrime in the region.
