₹10.8 Lakh Credit Card Scam: Delhi Police Arrests Cybercriminals In Jamtara Fake Apps, Stealing Otps And SMS And More

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Delhi Police has arrested three cybercriminals from Jamtara , Jharkhand, for cheating a Delhi man out of ₹10.8 lakh. The accused posed as bank credit card officials to trick the victim.

The victim, K.C. Barthwal, received a fake call about a false debit on his account. To catch the culprits, the police disguised themselves in local tribal attire and kept them under surveillance.

The accused, Mujaffar Jilani, Aftab Ansari, and Md Iqbal Raza, all in their mid-20s, are part of a larger cyber fraud network.

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Ansari was named the mastermind behind a fraud operation. He used gaming wallets to move stolen money, and his associate Jilani also received funds through these wallets.

Raza, 24, handled the technical side by spreading fake apps and stealing OTPs and SMS from victims' phones. He also helped transfer the money and arrange cash withdrawals.

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The case was reported after Barthwal got a call on April 5 claiming ₹588.82 had been wrongly deducted from his credit card. This led to the uncovering of the scam and the arrests.

"Jamtara has gained notoriety over the years as a hub for organised cyber frauds in India. We have recovered five mobile phones, six SIM cards , and a debit card allegedly used in the commission of the fraud," PTI quoted Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Amit Goel as saying in a statement.

"The caller then pressured the victim to either activate or block his credit card by clicking on a link sent to his phone. The link led to a phishing site resembling the official bank portal. Barthwal, unaware of the trap, opened the link and shared his card details," the DCP added.

How the gang planned the scam

The gang used fake calls, phishing links , and a fake mobile app to steal his credit card and bank details. They also accessed his phone, stole OTPs, and even accessed his internet banking by pretending to verify his account.

They then transferred the money to digital wallets and gaming apps and later withdrew the cash using multiple fake accounts. Police traced them using technical surveillance.

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They were arrested after a two-day operation. The accused have been brought to Delhi for questioning.

"Following a two-day surveillance operation, the police apprehended the accused. All three were brought to Delhi on transit remand and interrogated," the DCP said.

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