Exposed Chinese Cyber Fraud Network: Bengaluru Businessman Arrested in Connection with ₹250 Crore Scam
Exposed Chinese Cyber Fraud Network: Bengaluru Businessman Arrested in Connection with ₹250 Crore Scam
Bengaluru: A shocking revelation has emerged following the apprehension of a Bengaluru-based industrialist, aged 33, which has exposed an extensive cyber fraud network that illicitly appropriated more than ₹250 crore. The Ernakulam Rural cyber police apprehended Manoj, a resident of Swagath Layout, Vidyaranyapura, Bengaluru, in relation to a sophisticated scheme that exploited unsuspecting individuals who were looking for part-time employment on the Internet.
The Modus Operandi
The strategy employed was deftly straightforward yet impactful: individuals were persuaded by the promise of online part-time employment, predominantly presented via the messaging application Telegram. At the outset, the victims were duped into performing menial tasks such as “liking” YouTube videos; this pretense was quickly dispelled by the victims’ consistent and timely compensation for their efforts.
Under the leadership of the investigation, Ernakulam Rural police superintendent Vaibhav Saxena examined the incident in which two individuals from North Paravur reported losses of ₹7 lakh and ₹11 lakh, respectively. The individuals who were initially participating in the harmless activity of “liking” videos were progressively entangled in the fraudulent network. They were induced to undertake modest investments after being assured of substantial returns; an investment of ₹1,000 was said to have generated ₹1,250.
Nevertheless, the snare was further exacerbated when investments surpassed ₹30,000 and withdrawals ceased. Notwithstanding the assurances of significant restitution, individuals who had been affected were ensnared in a predicament that compelled them to pursue legal recourse upon the sudden cessation of payments.
What The Cybercriminal Unveiled?
As investigators pursued the money trail, they discovered an intricate network of nearly forty current accounts dispersed throughout multiple states, each representing a component of this grand puzzle. Identification of Manoj, an MBA graduate and entrepreneur specializing in packaging supplies for a food delivery application, as a vital link emerged. His venture into cyber fraud, which he initiated earlier this year, demonstrated scrupulous efforts to elude detection, such as discontinuing the utilization of smartphones.
The inquiry brought to light Manoj’s alleged affiliation with Dubai-based individuals designated as Kevin and Jaison. It was disclosed that they were false personas who coordinated the transfer of funds from victims to the current accounts of the network, ultimately directing the funds overseas.
The International Fraud Network
The matter that was initially perceived as a domestic fraud escalated globally when inquiries revealed the participation of Chinese citizens operating under the guise of Dubai-based agents. In spite of the utilization of Dubai phone numbers, authorities maintain the conviction that the individuals responsible for this enormous undertaking are located in China. Following a circuit through the managed accounts of Manoj, the funds were transformed into cryptocurrency prior to their transmission to the perpetrators in China.
Initial analyses brought a sudden discovery as around ₹250 crore was transferred through the accounts managed by Manoj, resulting in an estimated personal gain of ₹2-3 crore. Moreover, 43 instances of online employment fraud have been reported to the police this year alone, and they suspect that the same malicious network was responsible.
With the investigation ongoing, law enforcement officials are making every effort to apprehend the individuals responsible for directing this intricate network of duplicity in an effort to hold them accountable and mitigate the harmful effects that these fraudulent schemes have on unsuspecting victims.
The narrative functions as a didactic anecdote, emphasizing the imperative nature of exercising caution and prudence when traversing the digital domain, where enticing offers frequently obscure malevolent intentions.
About The Author:
Yogesh Naager is a content marketer who specializes in the cybersecurity and B2B space. Besides writing for the News4Hackers blog, he’s also written for brands including CollegeDunia, Utsav Fashion, and NASSCOM. Naager entered the field of content in an unusual way. He began his career as an insurance sales executive, where he developed an interest in simplifying difficult concepts. He also combines this interest with a love of narrative, which makes him a good writer in the cybersecurity field. In the bottom line, he frequently writes for Craw Security.
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