The Bengaluru police recently cracked down on a cybercrime gang operating within the city, uncovering their ties to Chinese operations. The gang was known for enticing unsuspecting individuals with various ‘tasks’, manipulating them into investing in cryptocurrency, and ultimately embezzling their funds. The extent of their fraud is believed to exceed Rs 6 crore.

In an official statement last Friday, B Dayananda, the Police Commissioner of Bengaluru City, declared the arrest of 10 members affiliated with the cybercrime syndicate. The apprehended individuals were identified as Sayed Yayha, aged 33; Mohammed Umar Faruk, aged 32; Mohammed Maheen, aged 20; Mohammed Muzammil, aged 21; Tejas, aged 28; Chethan, aged 25; Wasim Akram, aged 29; Mohammed Syed Zaid, aged 22; Sahi Abdul Anan, aged 22; and Om Prakash, aged 29. All the suspects are residents of RT Nagar in Bengaluru.

Furthermore, investigations uncovered that Faruk, Zaid, and Chetan had previous employment ties with prominent companies such as Apple, Amazon Retail, and Vivo respectively. The police seized a multitude of incriminating evidence from the accused, including a significant number of passbooks, debit cards, SIM cards, mobile phones, laptops, and various documents. Additionally, an amount of Rs 7.34 lakh was frozen in bank accounts connected to the illicit activities.

Dayananda revealed that a thorough analysis of the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal revealed 122 cases spanning 21 states, with nine cases originating from Karnataka, suggestive of the gang’s widespread operations. The breakthrough leading to the arrests transpired when a victim approached the North CEN police station and lodged a complaint on July 3, reporting a substantial loss of Rs 25.37 lakh between June 20 and July 1.

According to a police official, the victim was initially contacted via WhatsApp by an unknown perpetrator who proposed a work-from-home scheme promising monetary compensation for completing online tasks. Subsequently, the victim was roped into a Telegram group, instructed to rate hotels for remuneration, and eventually persuaded to invest in cryptocurrency under false assurances of lucrative returns, resulting in financial fraud.

Further scrutiny revealed that the illicit funds were routed through multiple bank accounts and withdrawn from various ATMs. Upon the initial arrest of seven accomplices, investigations unveiled that key figures Yayha, Faruk, and Maheen had ventured to China on September 3 to liaise with the mastermind behind the syndicate. Subsequently, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against the trio, leading to their arrest upon arrival at the Bengaluru International Airport on September 15.

The probe disclosed that the accused were operating through the Telegram app, tasked with converting defrauded funds into cryptocurrency and transferring them to their Chinese superior in return for a 2% commission. Additionally, the misappropriated funds were frequently channeled into mule accounts to obfuscate the trail of their fraudulent activities.

The diligent efforts of the Bengaluru police in dismantling this cybercrime ring underscore the critical importance of cybersecurity vigilance in combating modern digital threats. It serves as a stark reminder for individuals to exercise caution and skepticism when presented with enticing yet dubious online propositions, highlighting the necessity of staying informed and vigilant in the realm of digital transactions.

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