The Cybercrime branch police have arrested a 29-year-old man for allegedly defrauding a Noida resident, Jyotimayee Barik, of Rs32.4 lakh with promises of high returns on her investment. As of Thursday, police have recovered Rs24 lakh and returned it to the victim.
In September 2023, Barik encountered a message on Telegram advertising an online website reviewing platform that promised substantial profits. After joining the group and registering on the associated website, she initially withdrew Rs885 without making any investment. Satisfied with her findings, she conducted further checks and contacted other users who shared evidence of their profits.
Convinced by the positive feedback, Barik began investing money, ultimately contributing around Rs32.4 lakh across multiple transactions. However, when she attempted to withdraw her funds, the fraudsters demanded additional investments, leading her to realize she had been scammed.
Following an extensive investigation utilizing electronic surveillance, cyber police arrested the suspect, identified as Adab Alam from Moradabad. During questioning, Alam revealed that he was part of a larger gang involved in similar scams, along with a Delhi-based accomplice named Ajay and another unidentified member.
Authorities have flagged 21 bank accounts used by the suspects across various states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh, on the National Cyber Crime Report Portal (NCRP). Investigations are ongoing to trace these accounts and apprehend Alam’s accomplices.