The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered a massive cyber fraud operation involving Indian SIM cards being used from Cambodia. According to officials, the agency identified 36,000 active Indian SIM cards operating from Cambodia, of which nearly 5,300 are directly linked to cyber fraud cases amounting to Rs 100 crore across India.
Investigation Initiated After Jodhpur FIR
The large-scale fraud came to light after the ED launched an investigation based on an FIR registered by the Cyber Police Station, DCP (Crime), Jodhpur. The FIR was filed against certain Point of Sale (POS) vendors for alleged misuse of SIM cards, as reported by news agency ANI.
How the Fraud Operated
The probe revealed that Indian mobile numbers were fraudulently activated by POS vendors and supplied to Malaysian nationals. These individuals then operated the SIMs from Cambodia to carry out cyber frauds targeting victims in India. The ED stated, “Thousands of Indian mobile numbers were fraudulently activated in India by the SIM vendors, which were used from Cambodia for committing cyber fraud at various states of India by making WhatsApp calls.”
Analysis of approximately 2.3 lakh numbers showed that about 36,000 SIM cards were active in Cambodia, out of which nearly 5,300 were involved in committing cyber fraud cases across India, causing losses to the tune of hundreds of crores.
Vendors Targeted Vulnerable Individuals
The ED informed that several vendors targeted less educated and gullible people from different states under the pretext of SIM porting or issuance of new connections. Investigation revealed that the accused—Rahul Kumar Jha, Mohammad Sharif, and Sandeep Bhatt—allegedly, in connivance with other SIM vendors including Prakash Bheel, Ramavatar Rathi, Hareesh Malakar, and Hemant Panwar, also activated additional SIM cards.
Telecom Operators Involved
The agency further stated, “The SIM vendors have POS ID of the telecom operators, namely, Airtel, Jio, and Vi for issuance and activation of SIM cards.” This indicates that the fraud exploited the legitimate systems of major telecom providers.
ED Conducts Searches Across Multiple Locations
As part of the ongoing case, the ED’s Jaipur zonal office conducted searches on Friday at seven locations in Kishangarh in Ajmer and Jodhpur, Nagpur, and Ludhiana under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. During the search operations, the ED identified 30 bank accounts and seized several incriminating documents and materials, along with details of various movable and immovable properties linked to the accused.
Conclusion
The ED continues to investigate the matter, aiming to dismantle the network of cyber fraudsters operating from Cambodia using Indian SIM cards. This case highlights the need for stricter regulation of SIM card issuance and monitoring of international usage.
