₹85 Crore Cyber Fraud Racket Busted in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh
Cybercrime Ring Busted in Muzaffarnagar, India, with Estimated Losses of ₹85 Crore
A coordinated effort by the Muzaffarnagar district police and cybercrime team has led to the dismantling of a large-scale cyber fraud network, resulting in the arrest of six individuals and the recovery of a substantial amount of evidence.
The Investigation
The investigation began after authorities received nearly 70 complaints from various states, which led to the identification of a fake online travel portal masquerading as a legitimate website.
The portal, designed to resemble the website of a leading online travel company, offered attractive discounts on air tickets and hotel bookings to unsuspecting users.
Once victims initiated a booking, they were asked to complete payments through QR codes shared via messaging platforms.
Upon receiving the payment, the fraudsters would either block the victim or provide fake booking confirmations.
By the time the victims realized they had been duped, the funds had already been transferred across multiple accounts.
A significant portion of the siphoned money was traced to a bank account linked to a resident of Fugaana village in Muzaffarnagar.
The Raids and Seizures
During the raids, police recovered a large cache of devices and bank kits, including nine mobile phones, 12 ATM cards, 13 SIM cards, two Aadhaar cards, one PAN card, two cheque books, one bank passbook, and seven pre-activated bank kits belonging to different banks.
Electronic equipment, including a keyboard, mouse, Wi-Fi router, monitor, CPU, and printer, was also seized, along with ₹5,610 in cash.
Preliminary Interrogation
Preliminary interrogation of the arrested accused revealed that they had rented bank accounts, SIM cards, and ATM cards from individuals in exchange for commissions.
The gang used these rented accounts to rotate funds rapidly, complicating efforts to trace the money trail.
The seized devices are being sent for forensic examination to extract transaction details, communication records, and other digital evidence.
According to officials, the six arrested accused were directly involved in transactions amounting to around ₹30 lakh over the past two months.
Nearly 70 complaints associated with frauds totaling over ₹85 crore have surfaced nationwide, with approximately ₹60 lakh confirmed to have passed through the accounts operated by this group.
The Accused
The arrested individuals have been identified as Akshay, Harsh Arya, Bhavyansh, Sachin, Harendra, and Aryan.
Two other suspects, Raja and Anurag, are currently absconding.
Further Investigation
The operation was conducted under the supervision of senior district officials, and further investigation is underway to identify additional associates, beneficiaries, and possible links to other cyber fraud cases across states.
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