Delhi Police Bust Major Cyber Scam, Arrests Three in Jamtara

**New Delhi, Jul 2 (PTI)** The Delhi Police have made a breakthrough in a significant cybercrime case by arresting three individuals from Jamtara, Jharkhand. The trio is accused of defrauding a Delhi resident of Rs 10.80 lakh while pretending to be credit card officials, a senior police official revealed on Wednesday. In an effort to apprehend the suspects without raising alarms, the police employed an undercover tactic by dressing in traditional tribal attire and observing the suspects from a distance for extended periods. With these arrests, the authorities believe they have dismantled a sophisticated cyber fraud operation based in Jamtara. Those arrested have been identified as Mujaffar Jilani (27), Aftab Ansari (27), and Md Iqbal Raza (24), all hailing from Karmatar in Jamtara. "Over the years, Jamtara has gained a reputation as a notorious hub for organized cyber frauds in India. We have recovered five mobile phones, six SIM cards, and a debit card used in the commission of the fraud," stated Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest), Amit Goel. The scam came to light following a complaint registered at the Cyber Police Station by K.C. Barthwal, a 49-year-old from Palam, Delhi. Barthwal reported receiving a call from an unknown number on April 5, during which the caller posed as an official from a government bank's credit card department in Mumbai. The caller falsely alerted Barthwal to an allegedly unauthorized debit of Rs 588.82 from his credit card. "The caller pressured the victim to click on a link to either activate or block his credit card. This link directed Barthwal to a phishing site designed to mimic the official bank portal. Unaware of the deception, Barthwal entered his card details," narrated the DCP. Following this, Barthwal received another call extracting further personal details. Subsequent unauthorized transactions amounting to Rs 10.80 lakh were allegedly taken from his credit card and linked bank account over a few days. An FIR was promptly filed, and a thorough investigation was launched. Technical surveillance led the team to track the suspects down to the Jamtara region. The police conducted a two-day surveillance operation, culminating in the capture of the accused. The three were brought to Delhi on a transit remand for interrogation. Explaining the criminal network's modus operandi, the police revealed that the fraudsters employed a multi-layered scheme involving phishing, social engineering, and technological exploitation to defraud their victims. Initially, spoofed calls from numbers masked as official were made to the victim. A malicious phishing link mimicking genuine websites prompted the target to input credit card information. The fraudsters then installed a fake mobile application on the victim's device, enabling them to remotely access sensitive information and intercept OTPs in real-time. The gang also acquired the victim's internet banking login details by feigning account verification. Once inside the net banking system, they transferred funds into digital wallets and gaming platforms. These laundered funds were funneled through numerous mule accounts before eventually being withdrawn in cash. According to the DCP, Ansari was identified as the ringleader, orchestrating the operation, managing funds through gaming wallets, with close collaborator Jilani receiving siphoned funds through similar platforms. Raza, aged 24, was the alleged technical expert behind the scheme, tasked with creating malicious APK files and ensuring the capture of OTPs and SMS communications. These communications were forwarded to a fake number he controlled. Furthermore, Raza played a pivotal role in the transfer of illicit money and facilitated cash withdrawals. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities determined to uncover the full scope of the operation.

NOTE: Further details are expected as the investigation progresses.

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