New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) Two men have been arrested for allegedly duping a Delhi resident of Rs 10.64 lakh by posing as bank officials, police said on Thursday.
Shankar Dan (27) and Pradeep Kumar Dan (26) used a payment gateway app to randomly enter mobile numbers and identify the names of the banks associated with the numbers, they said.
Shankar would then call unsuspecting individuals, impersonate as bank representatives, and send them malware-laced files. The accused claimed to procure SIM cards from Jamtara and used locally acquired credit cards for the fraud, they said.
“On June 30, they called the complainant posing as bank officials and told him that two cheques issued from his account had bounced and requested him to verify the cheque images. A link containing a malicious file was then sent to the complainant on WhatsApp,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Amit Goel said.
The victim downloaded and installed the file but didn’t find any cheque image as claimed by the fraudsters. Sensing something suspicious, he deleted the link and switched off his phone, he said.
However, on restarting the device, he received multiple SMS alerts regarding password changes and unauthorised financial activity, the officer added.
An investigation revealed that two fixed deposits of Rs 5.62 lakh and Rs 4.54 lakh had been prematurely closed, and an additional Rs 48,600 had been debited. The total loss amounted to Rs 10.64 lakh, the police said.
“Subsequent probe found that the OTPs generated during the fraudulent transactions were diverted to an unknown mobile number, allowing the accused to gain unauthorised access to the complainant’s account,” the DCP said.
The cheated amount was first transferred to an online payment gateway, and then used to pay credit card dues and make purchases.
“The funds were further withdrawn using mobile payment apps or used to buy gift cards,” the DCP said.
Based on technical surveillance, the accused were tracked to Dhanbad and police conducted raids across Jharkhand, eventually nabbing Shankar Dan from his native village. Four mobile phones were recovered from his possession, including the calling device, he said.
Acting on his disclosure, police arrested co-accused Pradeep Kumar Dan in West Bengal’s Birbhum. Two mobile phones, including the one used to access the mobile application during the fraud, were seized from him.
The police said that the defrauded amount was routed through a layered payment structure to avoid detection.
Shankar, a school dropout who ran a mobile phone shop in his village, is previously involved in two cybercrime cases and a murder case, the police said, adding that he lived a lavish lifestyle funded by the proceeds of fraud.
Pradeep, who studied up to class 8, operated a payment gateway app to transfer the money from hacked bank accounts to credit cards. He is also reportedly involved in a murder case.
A case under relevant sections of the BNS has been registered. Further investigation is underway to trace other members of the syndicate and identify additional victims. PTI SSJ NB
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