Delhi police have arrested two fraudsters, Gagan (25) and Ajit (24), involved in a Rs 20 lakh UPI hijack scam that has been linked to over 100 similar fraud cases across the city. The accused exploited stolen mobile phones to access banking apps and carry out unauthorised transactions.
The scam was uncovered after a Swaroop Nagar resident reported unauthorised withdrawals from his bank account following the theft of his phone on November 8, 2024. Despite obtaining a new SIM card, he noticed multiple transactions draining Rs 20 lakh in total.
Deputy Commissioner Nidhin Valsan stated that the police tracked the stolen phone’s details, analysed call records, and followed the money trail to identify Gagan and Ajit. Raids were conducted in Vrindavan and Delhi, leading to their arrest.
Gagan, a BTech dropout, purchased lost or stolen phones and used online tutorials to hard-reset them, bypassing security measures. The duo exploited pre-installed banking apps and used Aadhaar-linked authentication to reset PINs and make fraudulent transfers to fake accounts.
Police seized several phones, debit cards linked to bogus accounts, and Rs 1.05 lakh in cash during the operation. The investigation is ongoing.
