CCB busts Rs 158-cr nationwide part-time job scam

Bengaluru: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Bengaluru city police has dismantled a massive part-time work scam that spanned the entire country, resulting in the arrest of nine people who swindled a staggering Rs 158 crore.

The agency used a straightforward yet effective method to crack the case, a significant breakthrough in combating complex cybercrime cases.

Previously, sleuths would trace the conduit of mule accounts that play a primary role in cybercrimes. However, in this specific instance, CCB sleuths identified the individuals in whose names these mule accounts were opened, leading to the arrest of those involved.

They picked up Amir Sohail and Inayat Khan from Bengaluru; Syed Abbas Ali, Nayaz, and Adil from Hyderabad; and Mithun Manish Shah, Naina Raj, Satish, and Mihir Shashikanth Shah from Mumbai. Two are still at large.

The arrested men played various roles at different stages of the scam. Some were responsible for opening mule accounts, others operated them, and a few approached potential targets and maintained contact with them.

However, the mastermind and those who operated the scam from the highest level are yet to be tracked down.

Wooing victims

Using dubious phone numbers, the suspects communicated with potential victims through platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. Having convinced them about their scheme, they would instruct the victims to invest and complete tasks such as liking YouTube videos, reviewing hotels, or installing apps. The victims were promised money in return, which would purportedly be credited to their digital wallet (simulated) on completion.

While targets could observe their digital wallets accumulating funds at various levels, problems arose when attempting to withdraw the money. Only then did they realise that the digital accounts were simulated, prompting them to file police complaints.

Cybercrimes

The suspects came under scrutiny after the CCB investigated a case filed by a Vidyaranyapura resident who lost Rs 18.5 lakh. Subsequent questioning of the suspects led to the freezing of Rs 62.8 lakh across 30 bank accounts.

An examination of their accounts on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) revealed their involvement in 2,143 cybercrime cases filed across 28 states. Of these, 265 cases were registered across various Karnataka districts, with Bengaluru alone accounting for 135 in 14 police stations.