The Vadodara Cyber Crime Police have arrested Muhammad Junaid Ahmed Malek for defrauding a local resident of Rs1.69 lakh in a fake job scheme. Malek was apprehended at Ahmedabad’s SVPI airport upon his return from Dubai, following a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against him.
The scam initiated when the victim received a message promising money for completing online tasks. After registering via a link provided by the fraudsters, the victim was instructed to perform various online purchasing tasks, resulting in the transfer of Rs1.69 lakh to multiple accounts.
When the victim attempted to withdraw their supposed earnings, the scammer ceased communication, prompting the realization of the deception. Following this, a complaint was lodged with the Cyber Crime Police, who employed both technical and human intelligence to trace the fraud back to Malek, who had been residing in Dubai.
Further investigation revealed that Malek was part of a broader network, obtaining bank accounts and SIM cards from Indian associates in exchange for commissions. He also collaborated with a Chinese agent in Dubai to facilitate fraud using these accounts. According to the NCCRP portal, Malek has a troubling history with 23 complaints filed against him across 11 states.
An official stated that this arrest is part of a larger operation targeting a Dubai-based fraud network, with 11 suspects detained across four states. The Cyber Crime Police have issued multiple LOCs against individuals operating from abroad, and two other members of the same Dubai network have previously been arrested. Legal proceedings against Malek are currently underway.
A recent report presented in the Lok Sabha highlighted that individuals in Gujarat suffered losses of Rs156 crore due to financial cyber frauds in 2023, the highest amount frozen in such cases for any Indian state, representing 17% of the total funds under lien across India.
