The Konaje Police in Mysuru have arrested five individuals involved in a cybercrime operation that defrauded a victim of over Rs 28 lakh through a fraudulent part-time employment offer. The arrested individuals have been identified as Mohammad Shariq (37) and Syed Shoaib (30), both from Rajeev Nagar in Mysuru, Syed Mahmood (28) from Mubarak Mohalla, Moysin Ahmed Khan (45) from Nehru Nagar, also in Mysuru, and Mohammad Azam (26) from Vivek Nagar, Bengaluru.
City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal confirmed that the case stemmed from a complaint filed on July 21, when the victim received a WhatsApp message offering a part-time job. The message included a Telegram link that the victim was prompted to click. Upon opening the link, the complainant was shown a video and asked to send a screenshot after watching it. Soon after sending the screenshot, the victim received Rs 130 in their bank account.
However, the scammers then informed the victim that the video was incorrect and sent another link for correction. Upon following the new link, the victim was asked to deposit Rs 1,000. This was the beginning of a series of fraudulent transactions that eventually led the victim to transfer a total of Rs 28,18,065 to various bank accounts provided by the accused. The scammers promised higher returns, making the victim believe the transfers would lead to greater profits.
The case was registered under the IT Act at the Konaje Police Station. A thorough investigation, led by Police Inspector Rajendra B, revealed that the accused were involved in trading bank accounts (including ATM cards, cheque books, and linked SIM cards) to facilitate multiple cyber frauds. Several people in Mysuru’s Nehru Nagar, Shantinagar, and Rajeev Nagar, as well as areas in Bengaluru like Neelasandra, were found to have sold their bank account details in exchange for money to support these fraudulent activities.
Following the investigation, the accused were arrested after extensive analysis of bank transactions and other information. The arrest was made possible by a team from the Konaje Police Station, led by Inspector Rajendra B, with support from Sub-Inspectors Puneeth Gaonkar, Ashoka, and other staff members. The operation was carried out under the guidance of Commissioner Anupam Agrawal, DCPs Sidharth Goyal and BP Dinesh Kumar, and ACP Dhanya N Nayak.
This case highlights the growing threat of cyber fraud schemes that lure victims with fake job offers and promises of quick financial gain. The police have urged the public to be cautious of such scams and report any suspicious activity promptly.
