Police in Noida have successfully apprehended two individuals accused of orchestrating a sophisticated personal loan fraud scheme. The accused allegedly tricked numerous victims by sending them counterfeit loan sanction letters and demanding processing fees.
The Modus Operandi of the Fraudsters
The arrested individuals have been identified as Himanshu Dubey (28) from Ghaziabad and Himanshu (25) from Delhi. According to investigating officials, the two men previously worked at the same company located in Noida's Sector 2. It is from this workplace that they are believed to have stolen or otherwise obtained confidential data, which later became the foundation of their illegal activities.
Their scam involved contacting potential victims over the phone. By misusing the personal data they had acquired, they specifically targeted people in urgent need of financial loans. To build credibility, they would send professionally crafted fake loan sanction letters directly to the victims via WhatsApp. Once the victim was convinced and paid the demanded processing fee, the fraudsters would delete the digital documents after a few days to cover their tracks. The illicit money was then divided between them.
Investigation and Arrest Details
The arrest followed multiple complaints filed by victims on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal. Cyber crime police pieced together the case using technical evidence and digital trails. The duo is suspected to be part of a larger gang involved in similar fraudulent activities.
During the arrest, authorities seized three mobile phones along with SIM cards from the possession of the accused. In a telling detail, it was revealed that Dubey had recently purchased a Google Pixel mobile phone using the proceeds earned from the fraud.
Legal Charges and Ongoing Probe
A formal case has been registered against the two accused at the Cyber Crime police station. They have been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. The charges include:
- Sections 318(4) and 319(2) related to cheating.
- Sections 336(3), 338, and 340(2) pertaining to forgery.
- Section 61(2) for criminal conspiracy.
- Section 238 for causing the disappearance of evidence or giving false information.
- Section 66D of the IT Act for cheating by personation using computer resources.
The police investigation is ongoing to uncover the full extent of the scam, identify more victims, and determine if other accomplices are involved.
