Hyderabad: Investigators of the Cyber Security Bureau have arrested two persons here for their alleged involvement in a fraud case worth Rs 175 crore. The officials said the accused were tricking poor persons into opening bank accounts and using them to commit cyber crimes.
The two arrested were identified as Mohammed Shoeb Tauqeer and Mahmood Bin Ahmed Bawazir, both residents of Hyderabad.
The team received 600 complaints
Devender Singh, Superintendent of Police (SP), Cyber Security Bureau, said the bureau’s data analytics team has discovered numerous complaints reported on the NCRP portal against six bank accounts with the SBI in Shamsheergunj.
During the review, the team found that large sums of money were transferred through these accounts within two months (March and April 2024).
The account holders were suspected of being involved in large-scale cyber fraud and there were about 600 complaints related to these accounts.
Procedure
The main accused, who operated from Dubai, along with five accomplices, was actively involved in luring poor people to open bank accounts and use them to commit cybercrimes and hawala operations in return for commission, the SP said.
The SP further stated that Shoeb played a key role in opening bank accounts and preparing the necessary documents. After opening the accounts, signatures of the account holders were obtained on the cheques, which were then kept in the custody of one of the employees. A portion of the money was transferred to Dubai in cryptocurrency. The employees withdrew the money as per the instructions of the main accused and distributed it to various people through his agents.
Shoeb and other accomplices followed the boss’s instructions and convinced poor people to open six current accounts at the SBI branch in Shamsheergunj in February 2024, luring them with commissions. During March and April, significant transactions totalling around Rs 175 crore took place in these six accounts, the SP said.
Based on a suo moto complaint, a case was registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station (Headquarters) under Section 66D of the IT Act and Sections 318(4), 319(2) and 338 of the BNS Act.
Public consultation
Devender Singh warned the public not to open a bank account for someone else or make any suspicious transactions.
“If you have already opened a mule account, report it to 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Be wary of unsolicited offers to open bank accounts. Verify the identity and credentials of anyone asking you to open an account and monitor your account activity regularly,” he added.
