On September 24, 2024, the Cyber Crime Police Station in Prayagraj made a significant breakthrough by arresting Abhishek Mandal, the leader of an interstate cybercrime gang. This gang had been impersonating bank officials to deceive individuals into downloading remote access applications under the pretense of updating their KYC (Know Your Customer) information. The investigation is linked to Case No. 17/2022, involving multiple sections of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) and the IT Act.
The gang’s modus operandi included contacting victims while posing as bank representatives, falsely claiming that they needed to update KYC details. Victims were instructed to install remote access apps such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer, granting the criminals control over their devices. With this access, the gang exploited the YONO SBI app to take out loans in the victims’ names, diverting the funds to various accounts. The stolen money was then withdrawn using ATM cards associated with these accounts at ATMs in states including West Bengal and Jharkhand. The fake SIM cards utilized for these operations were acquired from states like West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
Abhishek Mandal, a 36-year-old resident of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, was apprehended during the operation. Authorities seized several items, including an Apple iPhone, an Android phone, two SIM cards, and two ATM cards.
