Cyber fraud using friend’s bank account busted; six arrested in Hyderabad operation

Mangaluru: In a major breakthrough, the Cyber Crime Police of Mangaluru have arrested six members of an interstate cyber fraud gang that allegedly misused a bank account provided by a local resident under the pretext of business transactions.

The arrested accused have been identified as Sheikh Kareemulla alias Rasool (27), Budidineni Vamshi alias Guru (21), Utpala Santosh Krishna (35) from Andhra Pradesh, and Panditi Kranthi Kumar (36), Bade Srinivas (38) from Telangana, along with Ibrahim (35), a resident of Mangaluru.

According to police, the case came to light after Mohammed Iqbal, a resident of the port area in Mangaluru, filed a complaint stating that his friend Ibrahim had requested access to his current bank account, claiming it was needed for business purposes. Trusting his friend, Iqbal handed over his bank passbook, ATM card, cheque book, and the SIM card linked to the account, which belonged to Airtel.

However, the accused allegedly misused the account for cyber fraud activities. Following a complaint, the Cyber Crime Police Station in Mangaluru registered a case and initiated an investigation. Based on technical evidence and digital trail analysis, investigators discovered that the cyber fraud network was operating from Hyderabad.

A special police team from Mangaluru travelled to Hyderabad and conducted a coordinated operation, leading to the arrest of five accused in Hyderabad and one accused in Mangaluru.

During the operation, police seized 18 mobile phones, one laptop, 12 bank passbooks, and 18 debit cards from the possession of the accused. Investigators revealed that the cyber fraud gang used social media platforms to lure individuals by offering commissions ranging from 4 to 6 percent in exchange for access to their bank accounts.

Unsuspecting account holders, attracted by the promise of easy money, shared sensitive banking details and OTPs with the accused. These details were then forwarded to cyber criminals operating abroad, who carried out fraudulent transactions using the compromised accounts.

Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy stated that at least five complaints related to cyber fraud involving one of the bank accounts used in this case have been registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) from different parts of the country.

Police officials said further investigation is underway to identify additional victims, trace financial transactions, and determine whether more individuals are linked to the cyber fraud network.

Authorities have urged the public not to share bank account details, ATM cards, OTPs, or SIM cards with anyone, including friends or acquaintances, as such actions can lead to serious financial fraud and legal consequences.

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