The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) on Saturday arrested the kingpin and two members of a well-organized cyber fraud gang that created fake social media pages to scam customers across India. The arrests took place in Kolkata.
The accused have been identified as Mohammad Saeed Hussain alias Zeeshan (19), a hotel management student; Mohammad Jabir (25), a B.Com graduate; and Zainab Zakir (19), a Class 12 pass-out. All three are residents of Kolkata, and their arrest occurred around 5:15 PM in the Ekbalpur police station area.
According to STF officials, the gang had been creating fake Instagram pages using the names of popular ‘chikankari’ companies, a traditional Indian craft. The fraudulent pages were set up to deceive customers into purchasing products that were never delivered. The STF launched an investigation after receiving intelligence about the growing online scam.
The breakthrough came when Atharva Arya, the owner of Mehrkari Chikan Company in Hazratganj, Lucknow, filed an FIR on April 7. Arya reported that a fake Instagram account had been created using his company’s name and GST number, attracting customers with fake orders and invoices. These fraudulent transactions were spreading across India.
Following this, the STF initiated cyber surveillance under the supervision of Additional SP Vishal Vikram Singh. Investigations led them to Kolkata, where they apprehended the suspects.
During interrogation, it was revealed that Mohammad Saeed Hussain had been introduced to cyber fraud by his cousin Mohammad Jabir, who had prior experience in tech support frauds. Jabir suggested creating fake social media pages using the names of legitimate chikankari brands. Starting in January 2025, the trio began replicating legitimate companies’ product images and reposting them on newly created Instagram profiles like ‘The Chikankari’.
Once customers placed orders, they were sent fraudulent invoices generated using the GST numbers and addresses of real companies. These invoices were edited using mobile apps like PicsArt and sent to customers via WhatsApp. Payments were then collected through UPI IDs and bank accounts, which were linked to an associate named Rohit Manna, another student from IIHM College. Saeed Hussain would then withdraw the funds in cash and distribute the money among the gang members.
This case highlights the rise of social media scams targeting consumers, particularly in the e-commerce sector, and the growing role of cyber surveillance in combating such frauds.
