Hyderabad: As part of crackdown on agents aiding cyber criminals and mule account holders, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau on Wednesday announced the arrest of 48 persons, including 10 agents and 30 mule account holders, from various parts of the state.
The arrested include unemployed youths and professionals such as cab drivers, small business owners and IT employees at lower levels. While 22 of them have a degree or possess higher qualification, 17 have completed SSC or intermediate and nine accused studied below class X, said Shikha Goel, director, Telangana Cyber Security Bureau.
The 48 accused, 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 accused were found to be involved in various types of cyber crimes like business investments (trading), job frauds, digital arrests, courier scams, etc. Top police officials said the arrested agents lured gullible account holders with lucrative commissions, floated fictitious firms using their credentials and opened current accounts in the name of the firms.
“In view of the heavy illegal flow of funds into these bank accounts, the role of bank employees, if any, in the crime is also being verified,” said Shikha Goel. The net banking details were forwarded to cyber crime gangs across the country and abroad, thereby using the accounts for receiving funds from the victims and transferring them to fraudsters on a commission basis, police said.
Police recovered mobile phones, laptops, bank passbooks, cheque books and other incriminating material from the accused. Officials urged people not to allow anybody to use their bank accounts directly or indirectly and also remain vigilant against cyber frauds.
