The Special Task Force (STF) of Dehradun, Uttarakhand, in collaboration with the Cyber Crime Police Station, has successfully dismantled a multi-crore Chinese investment scam, arresting three key members of the fraudulent syndicate. The gang, including its leader, was apprehended in Gurgaon, Haryana, after a woman from Saraswati Vihar, Dehradun, reported being defrauded of over Rs21 lakh.
The arrested individuals were in direct contact with an international cybercrime syndicate based in Dubai. They operated through WhatsApp and Telegram groups, posing as representatives of well-known foreign companies like Harvey Norman. Victims were lured into registering on fake websites and completing seemingly legitimate tasks that initially paid small amounts. Once trust was established, they were coaxed into investing larger sums for “trading” activities, promised significant profits. When victims attempted to withdraw their funds, they were asked to deposit additional security money.
The gang facilitated the transfer of defrauded money into USDT cryptocurrency accounts using apps like Binance, collaborating with cybercriminals based abroad.
On August 29, 2024, the STF team conducted the arrests in the parking area of Platina Tower in Gurgaon. The individuals arrested are Pratham Shokeen, Subhash Sharma, and Mukul Godhara. Authorities recovered key items from the scene, including five mobile phones, five credit cards, nine ATM cards, and two Aadhaar cards. Additionally, SMS alerts linked to the fraudulent bank accounts were seized along with the mobile handsets used in the operation.
The successful operation was conducted under the supervision of DySP Ankush Mishra and led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ayush Agarwal of the STF, Uttarakhand. The case is currently being handled by the Cyber Crime Police Station in Dehradun.