In a major breakthrough, the State cybercrime wing arrested four individuals in connection with an investment scam that defrauded a retired government official of Rs1.66 crore. The fraudsters, including one who worked in a scam compound in Cambodia, posed as consultants from Motilal Oswal Group and SBI Securities to manipulate the victim into making false investments.
According to officials, the victim was lured into the scam after contacting the fraudsters via WhatsApp numbers from a YouTube video. They convinced the victim to open fake institutional trading accounts on fraudulent websites, www.sgjfdu.com and www.sbis2024.xyz, and transfer Rs1.66 crore into their accounts under the pretext of high-return trading opportunities.
However, when the victim attempted to withdraw the invested funds, the fraudsters stopped responding, which led to suspicions. Realizing he had been scammed, the victim filed an online complaint through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Upon investigating the money trail, authorities discovered that one of the initial bank accounts was linked to a fake company called CMST Consultancy in Chennai. The account holders, N Mohammad Ismail and B Abu Tahir, were arrested on December 6. Ismail, a driver, and Tahir, a garment exporter from Tirupur, led authorities to the other accused individuals, D Kesavaraj and Kaleel Ahamed, both involved in the export business.
Further investigation revealed that Kaleel Ahamed, the main agent of the scam, was operating from a scam compound in Cambodia where he gathered victims’ bank account details. Ahamed was arrested upon his return to India on December 7.
All four suspects were produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. The investigation continues as authorities seek to uncover additional connections to the scam.
