Noida police recently arrested six men in Rajasthan involved in a large-scale “digital arrest” scam that targeted unsuspecting victims. The gang used 73 fake bank accounts to siphon off money from victims, convincing them that they were being investigated by police.
The case came to light when Pramod Kumar, a 67-year-old resident of Noida, was duped out of Rs52.5 lakh. Kumar had received a call from a scammer claiming his parcel contained illegal drugs and his identity documents. He was then connected to a suspect who pretended to be an investigating officer. Over the course of a 24-hour-long video call, Kumar was told that he was being “digitally arrested” for involvement in a terrorist plot. He was blackmailed and coerced into transferring the funds.
Following the complaint, Noida’s Cyber Crime Branch launched a months-long investigation. Police identified the mastermind as 23-year-old Kishan, a Bachelor of Physiotherapy student from Sikar, Rajasthan. Kishan’s associates were also apprehended: Lakhan (23), Mahendra (23), Sanjay Sharma (32), Sambhu Dayal (41), and Praveen Jangid (31).
The suspects used fake bank accounts linked to villagers in Rajasthan, who were paid up to Rs3 lakh per month for receiving scam payments. A total of 73 bank accounts were linked to this fraudulent operation, and the suspects communicated with victims via WhatsApp and Telegram.
Police also recovered several mobile phones, fake Aadhar cards, and a car from the suspects. Investigations revealed that the gang’s fake accounts had been flagged as fraudulent in 18 states, including Delhi.
