Hyderabad: As part of the crackdown on agents who aid cyber criminals and mule account holdersthe Telangana Cyber Security Bureau on Wednesday announced the arrest of 48 persons, including 10 constables and 30 mule bill holders, from different parts of the state.
Those arrested include unemployed youth and professionals such as taxi drivers, small business owners and lower-level IT workers. While 22 of them have degrees or higher qualifications, 17 have completed SSC or high school diplomas and nine suspects have completed education below Class X, said Shikha Goel, director of Telangana Cyber Security Bureau.
The 48 suspects, who were arrested during the week-long statewide operation, were linked to 508 cases in Telangana and 2,194 cases across the country, resulting in a loss of Rs 8.16 crore to gullible victims.
The suspects were found to be involved in various types of cyber crimes such as corporate investment (trading), job fraud, digital arrests, courier scams, etc. Top police officials said the arrested officers lured gullible account holders with lucrative commissions, floated fictitious companies using their login details and opened current accounts in the names of the companies.
“Given the heavy illegal flow of money into these bank accounts, the role of any bank employees in the crime is also being verified,” said Shikha Goel. The internet banking details were forwarded to cybercrime gangs across the country and abroad, with the accounts used to receive money from victims and transfer them to fraudsters on a commission basis, police said.
The police have seized mobile phones, laptops, passbooks, check books and other incriminating material from the suspect. Officials urged people not to allow anyone to use their bank accounts directly or indirectly and also to remain vigilant against cyber fraud.