Hyderabad police arrest three for digital arrest fraud

HYDERABAD: In a significant breakthrough, the Hyderabad cybercrime police have arrested three individuals from Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, for their involvement in a digital arrest fraud case, according to a press statement by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crimes.

The accused have been identified as Thota Srinivasa Rao (59), Lam Jeevankumar (38), and Tammishetty Raghuveer (40). These accused were involved in a sophisticated scam that targeted victims across India.

According to the police, a resident from Hyderabad, Veeraboina Sai Raj was duped by these cyber fraudsters who convinced him to transfer Rs 3,57,998 to their bank accounts. The accused had contacted Raj, claiming to be a Head Constable from Mumbai, and informed him that a case had been registered against him. Raj was then instructed to transfer the money to the accused’s account for verification purposes.

The fraudsters assured Raj that the amount would be refunded to his account within 24 hours, and would also be provided with a Police Clearance Certificate. As a result, he ultimately lost the transferred amount of Rs 3,57,998. The complainant further stated that the group of telecallers, with the help of several bank accounts, as per their well-orchestrated plan, impersonated themselves as bank officials and cheated him to the tune an amount of Rs 3,57,998.

According to the release, the accused were involved in several fraud cases, impersonating as government officials, including police officers, and threatening victims with false cases and arrests. The victims were then coerced into transferring large sums of money to the accused’s bank accounts. Their involvement is in 13 such cases across the country.

The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police have also seized several items from the accused, including several mobile phones, cheque books, bank passbooks, debit and credit cards, PAN cards, and receipt books. The police have advised citizens to be cautious when receiving calls from unknown numbers, especially those claiming to be government officials. They have also urged victims of similar scams to come forward and report the incidents to the authorities.

On March 27, the Hyderabad Police’s Cyber Crime Unit successfully refunded Rs 9,50,531 to a businessman, who fell victim to an online business fraud.

According to the police, a 32-year-old businessman from Hyderabad was duped by cyber fraudsters who convinced him to transfer Rs 9,50,531 to their bank accounts under the pretext of a business deal. Acting swiftly, the Cyber Crime Unit registered a case under Cr. No. 3083/2024, U/Sec 66(C), 66(D) of the IT Act, and U/Sec 111(2)(b), 318(4), 319(2) of the BNS, and launched an investigation.

Inspector K Prasada Rao, along with SI Abhishek, HC Satish, and PCs Srinivas Reddy and Kranthi Kumar Reddy, traced and apprehended the accused in Sector-7, Dwarka, New Delhi. The entire defrauded amount was successfully recovered and returned to the victim through a demand draft.

There is some public advisory, as per the statement, cyber fraudsters are targeting business owners by falsely promising lucrative business orders for their products. Victims are lured into paying registration fees, process charges, issuance of ISO certificates, developing business websites under the pretence of high market demand. Once payments are made, fraudsters cut off all communication, leaving victims defrauded.

“Verify authenticity before making any payment, and thoroughly research the company or individuals offering business deals,” the statement cautioned, adding to check official sources and confirm business opportunities through trusted government and industry platforms. “Beware of upfront payments and legitimate business deals rarely require large prepayments for registration or order processing”, it said.

“Sanitise emails and calls and be cautious of unsolicited calls, emails, and messages claiming unrealistic business offers. Use payment methods to avoid making payments to unknown individuals or accounts; prefer escrow services for transactions”, it said. (ANI)