Cyber Fraud Racket Busted

Hyderabad: A special team of Cyberabad cyber crime busted an organized inter-state cyber fraud ring related to SIM swapping and OTP diversion and arrested six persons accused of fraudulent transactions amounting to ₹77,75,451.

According to cyber crime DCP T. Sai Manohar, the accused impersonated officials of the credit card division of a multinational bank and encouraged victims to convert e SIMs into physical SIM cards on the pretext of DoT verification. Pre-installed mobile devices containing malicious applications were sent to victims via courier services. Once the SIM cards were inserted, OTPs and banking alerts were forwarded to the defendants, allowing unauthorized access to bank accounts and fraudulent online transactions.

The suspects, who were arrested after their procedures at the police station, were sent to the courthouse. Cash amounting to ₹ 15 lakh was seized from their house in West Bengal.

The arrested are Selim Monda, Saiyad Hasim Reza alias Tippu, Bansidhar, Abdul Alim SK alias Mittu, Mijanur Rahaman Shaik and Mehebub Alam Ansari alias Suraj. Police seized 11 mobile phones, a laptop and cash. Sai Manohar said that these people have been brought for judicial custody.