Kochi: To combat the increasing number of Cyber fraudThe Ernakulam Rural Police has launched a crackdown on people who facilitate these crimes by providing their bank account details to cheater.
Police officials revealed that some people who sell their accounts receive a one-time payment of around Rs 15,000, while others receive a commission based on the amounts transacted through the accounts. In a notable case, an accused who had eight accounts in his name was arrested after his account was used to defraud a woman from Edathala of Rs 1.7 million. This has raised fears that many people are participating in these schemes despite knowing that their accounts are being used for cybercrime.
“Cyber fraud is spreading like a pandemic, causing significant financial losses for many. Some may receive money in their accounts unintentionally, which is understandable. Those who knowingly participate in such schemes and benefit from them will face severe consequences,” said a senior police officer from Ernakulam rural district.
“Cyber fraud is becoming a menace that is spreading like a pandemic. Many people are losing their hard-earned money and properties due to it. It is understandable that people get money in their account unintentionally. But when there is clear evidence that individuals are knowingly participating in cyber fraud and benefiting from it, they deserve no mercy,” said a senior officer of Ernakulam Rural Police.
He said that anyone who sold their account details for financial gain would be charged with conspiracy to commit the related crimes.
Investigations have shown that many scammers are engaging with youths willing to sell their accounts through SIM card dealers. These operators, who target vulnerable people in financial distress, facilitate the sale of account details to scammers. “Often, the money from these accounts is either quickly withdrawn or transferred to untraceable assets such as cryptocurrencies, making it difficult to trace the funds,” the official said.
In addition, the police are investigating the possibility that some bank employees may be involved in these schemes, especially on the receiving end, as large sums of money are deposited into accounts as part of these scams.
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