The Cyber Crime Police Station, on April 5, 2024, arrested two persons in a cyber crime case, which relates to a cyber fraud by criminals posing as Mumbai Police and Enforcement Directorate officials. Ravindra S/o Rajeshbhai Nandaniya R/o Yadav Road, Jirapa plot, Upleta , Rajkot, Gujarat and Vimal S/o Menshibhai Der r/o Yadav Road, Upleta , Rajkot, Gujarat have been arrested.
Pertinently, both the accused together received 19,00,000 /- as a self cheque withdrawals of part amount of fraud money. The accused were arrested after painstaking efforts from Upleta , Rajkot, and Gujarat. Several items of incriminating material such as smartphones and bank passbooks have been recovered from their possession.
The team was led by PSI Sarvesh Sawant and comprised of IRB PC- Hemant Gaonkar , PC – Sidramayya Math , of Cyber Crime PS. They successfully investigated the case under the supervision of SP Rahul Gupta, IPS, Dy SP Ashish Shirodkar, and PI Deepak Pednekar. Further investigation of the case is in progress.
Modus operandi - These cyber fraudsters would usually impersonate as government officials from agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and State Police Crime branches. They accuse victims of serious crimes such as money laundering and narcotics smuggling, often serving fake legal notices through fraudulent websites to create urgency and fear. These scammers would go to the extent of conducting video calls on platforms like Skype, dressed in khaki uniforms, to further intimidate victims. Under duress, the victims are coerced into sharing personal information and transferring significant sums of money to fraudulent accounts.
The police have also released an Advisory to public, which says:
1 Always remember that the government and law enforcement agencies communicate through post or physical means.
2 Additionally, one should always approach local police for clarification in case of such notices or accusations by law enforcement authorities.
3 As soon as one realizes that they are being defrauded, they should immediately rush to the police station or cyber cell.
4 They may also call 1930 to report the complaint.