₹11 cr digital arrest: Cybercops arrest 3; modus operandi will leave you shocked!

In a shocking case of cyber fraud, Bengaluru-based techie Vijay Kumar was conned out of ₹11 crore after being duped by fraudsters impersonating Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers and police. The cybercrime team has arrested three suspects—Karan, Tarun, and Dhaval Shah—while a search is underway for others involved.

Also Read: Bengaluru: Cops arrest 10 accused who had duped man of Rs 88L through cyber fraud

The scammers targeted Kumar after learning his ₹50 lakh investment from a previous company had grown to ₹12 crore. They called him using multiple SIM cards, falsely accusing him of money laundering and threatening him with arrest. Exploiting his fear, they coerced him into transferring funds into nine accounts they provided.

Police investigations uncovered ₹7.5 crore in one fraudulent account, linked to a gold jeweller in Gujarat. The jeweller admitted to providing gold but claimed ignorance of the fraud. Further probing revealed Dhaval Shah, a gold broker, had received ₹7 crore from the scam. Shah worked with a Dubai-based associate, who introduced another suspect, Neel Bhai. Shah demanded a ₹1.5 crore commission for facilitating the operation.

The fraudsters laundered the stolen money by purchasing gold and leveraging multiple accounts and SIM cards to evade detection. Police continue their hunt for other suspects as the investigation widens.

This case highlights the growing sophistication of cybercriminals and the need for vigilance in financial dealings.