The Mohali Cyber Crime Cell of the Punjab Police has dismantled an international fraud network by arresting seven men from Nigeria and Ghana. The suspects were apprehended in Noida, where they allegedly operated a fake call center, according to police reports from Saturday. A Mohali court has placed them on a two-day police remand.
During the operation, authorities confiscated 79 smartphones, four laptops-including two Apple MacBooks-99 SIM cards (both Indian and foreign) and documents linked to 31 counterfeit bank accounts. The estimated value of these items is around ₹30 lakh, with transactions estimated to have totaled ₹15 crore traced through the bank accounts.
According to Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harmandeep Singh Hans, the suspects, aged between 25 and 35, are all educated individuals. They allegedly created fake profiles on social media platforms to connect with Indian and foreign nationals.
SSP Hans indicated that early investigations suggest the gang may have defrauded over 350 victims. “Using advanced cyber tools and covert strategies, our team successfully apprehended the culprits,” he noted.
The modus operandi of the gang involved enticing individuals by promising them expensive gifts supposedly sent from abroad. They would later claim that customs had intercepted the parcel and request money for clearance charges or taxes. Victims were then provided with bank account details to deposit specific amounts.
The operation was led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rupinderdeep Kaur Sohi, who disclosed that the house used by the gang was rented by a Nigerian woman, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
DSP Sohi further revealed that the bank accounts utilized by the group were opened at private banks, and efforts are underway to identify the account holders and the means through which the SIM cards were acquired. She also mentioned that the scammers targeted Nigerian citizens, offering them fraudulent job placements in India.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/noida-punjab-cops-nab-7-nationals-of-ghana-nigeria-for-fraud-seize-79-phones-99-sims-10026951/
Category: Chandigarh,Cities
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Publish Date: 2025-05-25 04:15:00
