₹85 Crore Cyber Fraud: Tailors' Mule Bank Scheme

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Nationwide Cybercrime Network Exposed

A recent crackdown on a nationwide cybercrime network has revealed a complex operation involving Class-5-educated tailoring workers who allegedly ran a ₹85 crore fraud scheme.

Modus Operandi

The accused, Nadeem, Gufran, and Mayur Afzal Rana, were arrested and found to be supplying bank accounts to organized scammers, who used these accounts to route funds through US dollar conversion and cryptocurrency.

The investigation began after a trader in Tamil Nadu reported being duped of nearly ₹4 crore in a digital arrest scam. A portion of the defrauded money was traced to bank accounts operated from Muzaffarnagar, leading authorities to unravel a wider network.

“The accused initially used their own and relatives’ bank accounts, but after those accounts were frozen due to multiple complaints, they began opening or procuring accounts from poor and vulnerable individuals.”

These accounts were then handed over to cyber fraudsters across the country, with the accused earning a 5-10% commission on each transaction. Within two months, around ₹60 lakh was routed through these accounts and later converted into dollars.

Key Players

The key handler, Mayur Afzal Rana, allegedly used the funds to purchase cryptocurrency, making it difficult to trace the money trail.

One of the accused, Gufran, had recently returned from Saudi Arabia, where he was exposed to cyber fraud techniques. After returning to India, he teamed up with Nadeem, and the two set up the account-supply network in exchange for commissions.

Extent of the Scam

The bank accounts linked to the trio have surfaced in more than 70 cyber fraud complaints across multiple states, with a total transaction value of suspected fraud money estimated at ₹85 crore.

“During interrogation, the accused revealed that they provided bank accounts to cyber fraud gangs operating in different states. Once the money was deposited, they deducted their commission and passed the remaining amount to the main operator, who converted it into cryptocurrency and moved it further.”

Warning to the Public

Authorities have warned the public not to share bank accounts, ATM cards, cheque books, SIM cards, or OTPs with unknown persons, as account holders can face legal action if their accounts are used for laundering fraud proceeds.