Cyber police have arrested Ashiq Ali, also known as Arif, a 32-year-old member of an inter-state gang that impersonates bank personnel to collect sensitive banking information from unsuspecting individuals. This operation aimed to gain access to pre-approved personal loans, with a recent case involving a victim who was conned out of Rs14 lakh.
The police’s investigation stemmed from a complaint filed in Kalamboli, where a 26-year-old man provided his bank details after being deceived in July 2024. The transactions linked to this case led officers to Delhi, where Ali was apprehended. Four additional suspects remain at large as the search continues.
The gang’s modus operandi involved using different phone numbers for each target and registering these numbers as bank representatives on caller ID apps like Truecaller. Once the call was answered, the scammers engaged the victim in conversation to extract confidential banking information, allowing them to access the victim’s net banking for loan processing.
Victims were then informed of a sanctioned loan, and under the guise of helping with cancellation, the gang would request OTPs to finalize the scam. Preliminary investigations revealed Ali’s role in making the calls while other gang members sourced SIM cards and phones.
The gang’s operations have extended beyond Maharashtra, with links to previous cyber fraud incidents, including a credit card scam in Cyberabad. The police remain vigilant as they continue to pursue the remaining suspects.
