In a stunning operation deep in the jungles of Jharkhand’s Deoghar district, police dismantled a brazen cybercrime syndicate operating a sham customer care call center. Eleven suspects were arrested during a Tuesday raid, exposing a sophisticated scam targeting victims nationwide.
Acting on precise intelligence, a joint team from the Cyber Police Station and Pathraul Police Station swooped down on a forested area near Sarhaita village under Pathraul jurisdiction. Hidden amid the dense foliage, the criminals had set up shop using mobile phones and SIM cards to impersonate legitimate customer support for major companies.
The arrested individuals include Chandan Kumar, Rahul Kumar Das, Kundan Kumar, Divakar Mehra, Jabbar Ansari, Deepak Kumar Mandal, Prince Kumar Mandal, Neeraj Kumar Das, Sanjay Kumar Das, Rohit Kumar Yadav, and another Rahul Kumar Das. Authorities seized 11 mobile phones, 12 SIM cards, and Rs 1.01 lakh in cash from Neeraj Kumar Das, suspected to be proceeds from recent frauds.
Investigators revealed how the gang manipulated Google searches by posting fake customer care numbers for banks, digital payment apps like PhonePe and Paytm, and other firms. Unsuspecting customers calling these numbers were tricked into sharing bank details, OTPs, or other sensitive information. They also dangled promises of cashbacks and prizes to lure victims.
Preliminary interrogations painted a picture of a well-oiled operation preying on the trust of everyday internet users. The police have registered cases under relevant cybercrime laws and remanded all accused to judicial custody. Further probes aim to uncover additional members of the network and track down defrauded victims.
This bust underscores the evolving tactics of cyber fraudsters who now seek remote, hard-to-access hideouts to evade detection. Law enforcement vows to intensify surveillance in such offbeat locations to curb the rising tide of digital scams.