A significant cyber fraud operation has been uncovered in Phansidewa, revealing a global scam involving the creation and renting of bank accounts and SIM cards. The fraud, which has defrauded victims of over Rs 80 crore, extended its reach beyond India to countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Dubai.
The breakthrough came when Phansidewa police arrested Mohammad Saidul, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the entire operation. This arrest follows months of investigation after the earlier apprehension of two cyber fraudsters, Anil Gope and Mohammad Anwar, in the Chathat area of Phansidewa about nine months ago.
During questioning, Saidul admitted his role in a fraudulent business where he created bank accounts for ordinary individuals and rented them out to conduct illegal transactions. Saidul revealed that he had created more than 1,000 such accounts across India, although police suspect the actual number to be higher. These accounts were linked to activities monitored in various international locations, including Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Dubai, and other parts of India.
The police have formed a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to further probe the matter. The team includes Abhishek Roy, Additional Superintendent of Police (Kurseong), Neha Jain, SDPO (Naxalbari), and three sub-inspectors. According to the police, the racket defrauded over Rs 80 crore from victims using about 200-300 identified bank accounts. The total amount is expected to rise as more bank accounts are examined.
At Saidul’s residence, authorities seized numerous items related to the fraud, including 414 ATM cards, 235 cheque books, 148 passbooks, QR codes, PAN cards, and other bank-related documents. The authorities have also traced 340 complaints lodged with the National Cyber Crime Portal, where these rented accounts were used for fraudulent activities.
Among the victims was a woman from Kolkata who lost nearly Rs 13 lakh after falling for a fake loan app. Other victims from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were also defrauded, with one individual losing as much as Rs 42 lakh.
Saidul, who ran a mobile shop in Chathat, manipulated people into creating bank accounts and generating SIM cards using their personal documents. Following his arrest, Saidul was presented before the Siliguri Court on Tuesday.
