Scam of over Rs 79 Lakh uncovered by Ahmedabad cybercrime branch

(MENAFN-IANS) Ahmedabad, Oct 14 (IANS) The Ahmedabad cyber crime branch in Gujarat has busted an international gang involved in a Rs 79,34,639 fraud case in which the accused posed as TRAI officials , Mumbai Cyber ​​Crime and CBI,” an official said.

Officials informed that the gang cheated a local resident by falsely claiming that his mobile phone was involved in illegal activities. The scammers further said that a complaint has been filed against the individual at Byculla police station in Mumbai. They used this claim to defraud the victim on the pretext of RBI verification.

The gang convinced the complainant that his mobile number was linked to illegal activities, such as banned advertisements, and that his bank account contained suspicious transactions linked to his Aadhaar card.

Using intimidation tactics, including threats of an arrest warrant, the criminals continuously monitored the complainant via WhatsApp calls. They pressured the victim to transfer Rs 79,34,639 to a bank account under the guise of verification, promising to refund the money once the process was completed.

A joint operation by the Cyber ​​Crime Branch in Delhi and Bangalore led to the arrest of two Taiwanese nationals, Mu Chi Sang and Chang Hao Yun (also known as Mark), who were key players in the scam. Police also arrested two other Taiwanese nationals in Bengaluru. In total, four foreign nationals were arrested for their role in this complex fraud.

The investigation revealed a sophisticated modus operandi involving 20 rooted mobile phones connected to routers, which intercepted OTPs from victims’ bank accounts. More than 120 mobile devices have been connected to this setup, with operations spread across Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. The gang used bank accounts rented in exchange for commissions provided by residents of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi and Odisha, eight of whom were arrested in the raids.

Raids in Mumbai and Delhi also led to the arrest of Saif Haider, who was in direct contact with Mark, the Taiwanese mastermind. Mark was responsible for supplying rooted mobile phones and routers and bringing in equipment from Taiwan to set up illegal operations. He traveled to several countries, including Cambodia, Dubai, China and several cities in India, such as Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai, to expand his fraudulent activities.

During their recent trip to India on October 10, Mark and his associate Marco were attempting to expand their network by collecting bank accounts rented from Indian agents to use for illegal betting and cyber frauds. Two other Taiwanese nationals, Wang Chun Wei (aka Sumoka) and Shen Wei Hao (aka Krish), were arrested in Bangalore. It turned out that they were operating a similar setup and were in contact with Saif Haider and other gang members.

Cyber ​​police seized Rs 12.75 lakh in cash, 761 SIM cards, 120 mobile phones, 96 check books, 92 debit and credit cards, 48 ​​cheques, 42 passbooks, 32 USB charging hubs and other technical equipment including minicomputers and routers. The gang used rooted mobile phones to intercept OTPs and access bank accounts meant for illegal activities including cyber fraud, gaming, betting and money laundering.

The operations of this international gang were vast, with connections across several states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Delhi and Karnataka. The Cyber ​​Crime Branch’s investigation continues and efforts are on to apprehend more members involved in this complex scam.

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