A major cybercrime syndicate operating through fraudulent investment apps was recently busted by the CID of Jharkhand. The arrest of Sameer Ansari, a cybercriminal from Dhanbad, came after a woman from Ranchi fell victim to a scam and lost Rs39.31 lakh.
According to the CID press release, the case began when the victim, a Ranchi-based woman, came across an advertisement on Instagram promoting an investment opportunity. She was enticed to join a WhatsApp group named “N-Wisdom in stock-AQR 170” and was later persuaded to download a fraudulent trading application called AQR Pro. The application presented various investment schemes, including Eagle Eye Trading, OTC, and OFS-For IPOs. Initially, the woman made small investments and received returns, which lured her into further investments. However, as time went on, her profits turned into virtual earnings that could not be cashed out or redeemed.
The fraudsters exploited her trust by creating a false sense of security. They asked her to transfer funds into multiple bank accounts provided via WhatsApp, with promises of high returns. However, these returns were illusory, and she eventually realized that her investment had been completely wiped out.
The CID investigation used technical analysis and followed the criminal financial trails to identify the main accused, Sameer Ansari, who operated out of Jharia in Dhanbad. It was revealed that Ansari collaborated with an associate based in Thailand to carry out the fraud. He had used Aadhar and PAN cards to open multiple bank accounts, which he then used to receive the stolen money.
Based on the CID’s investigation, the Dhanbad Government Railway Police (GRP) acted swiftly and arrested Ansari on Wednesday night at the Dhanbad Railway Station. Deputy Superintendent of Police Neha Bala led the operation, which resulted in Ansari’s arrest just as he was about to board the Kalka Mail for Howrah.
