Playing mobile games is a favorite pastime for many, and a lot of people prefer to find free versions instead of paying for expensive subscriptions. However, such searches can lead individuals straight into the traps of cybercriminals, who ultimately leave their victims' bank accounts empty.
In Ghaziabad, the crime branch's SWAT team apprehended a gang involved in cybercrime. They deceived unsuspecting people into investing in online gaming and stock markets, committing bank fraud across the nation, amassing over 80 million rupees.
Police Team Arrests Four Culprits
The police team nabbed four cunning individuals, recovering four mobile phones and cash amounting to 50,000 rupees from them. So far, investigations have revealed thefts amounting to 80 million rupees, associated with 34 complaints on the NCRB portal.
Luring with Free Gaming Apps
ADCP Crime Piyush Kumar Singh explained that the arrested fraudsters tempted people by offering free gaming app downloads. They sent APK files containing viruses. Once the victims clicked the link and installed the APK file, the viruses began their work. Piyush Kumar stated that these dangerous viruses gave cybercriminals control over the victims' mobile devices.
On October 31, the Ghaziabad Police Commissioner's SWAT team arrested the suspects from Mahadev Hotel Bazaria and Arena Fitness Gym in the Thana Kotwali area at around 2:35 AM on November 1.
Accumulates 8 Crore Rupees and Preyed on Many
ADCP Piyush Kumar Singh revealed that the main accused, Bhaskar Upadhyay, deposited around 80 million rupees into his SBI bank account over 15 days. Along with his associates, Mohsin Ahmed, Gaurav Mishra, and Usman Ahmed, he targeted people nationwide by encouraging them to download APK apps.
Converted to Dollars Before Hawala
The gang converted the loot into US dollars and divided it through hawala transactions. They are linked to 34 complaints recorded on the NCRB portal from 17 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Haryana. The police are continuing their investigation.
