Cops Crack Rs. 158 Cr. Work-From-Home Scam

Bengaluru, India: In one of the major online busts in recent history, the Bengaluru City Police say they have blown the lid of a bogus operation which is believed to have conned people out of Rs. 158 Crore. What was the bait used by the criminals? Offering them enticingly simple work-from-home options online. And the perpetrators are not restricted to just one city.

In fact, the Central Crime Branch (CCB), has confirmed that those who were arrested for this pernicious transgression include: Amir Sohail and Inayat Khan from Bengaluru; and Syed Abbas Ali, Nayaz and Adil from Hyderabad. Meanwhile, Mithun Anish Shah, Naina Raj, Satish and Mihir Shashikant Shah were nabbed in Mumbai. However, two alleged masterminds behind the syndicate have been absconding, although the cops are reportedly hot on their trail.

So, what was the modus operandi of the gang? - Luring unsuspecting victims with an initiation fee to perform easy tasks online - such as liking You Tube videos installing apps. Their promises of generous rewards seemed difficult to turn down, especially for those desperate to make a quick buck. The preditors communicated with their prey by using platforms like Telegram and Whatsapp and setting up mule accounts. Those who bought into the scam initially saw their digital wallets swell, but then were unable to access and retrieve the funds. 

The first victim to blow the whistle on the illicit operation and engage the police, was a resident from north Bengaluru’s locality of Vidyaranyapura. On reporting his loss of Rs 18.5 lakh, law-enforcers swung into action and froze nearly Rs. 63 lakh across 30 bank accounts. There have been 135 FIRs lodged in Bengaluru alone. Delving deeper into the syndicate’s shady activities, the cops discovered that the suspects were involved in a whopping 2,143 cases of cyber malfeasance. And that too, in all of India’s 29 states. How’s that for expanding one’s business.