Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police claimed to have busted an online job fraud racket by arresting three cyber frauds from Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
The arrested persons have been identified as Balgopal Barik (28) of Bargarh rural, Debendra Kumar Sethi (28) of Puri Gop area and Sandip Kumar Rout (23) of Cuttack Kalarabanka area.
According to the Twin City Police Commissionerate, evidence including the mobile handset of the accused persons, Aadhar Cards with falsified addresses, screenshots of the victim’s chats in the Telegram/ WhatsApp group, bank account transactions of the accused and victim, statements of the victim, other account holders and fake Banner of Company to create Mule Current Account, have been seized.
The police established that this is a case of Online Task-based Job Fraud through Telegram during the investigation of a complaint filed by Ajay Kumar Panda of Patia Station Road in Bhubaneswar.
“In the course of the investigation, we got digital evidence, took the screenshot of the WhatsApp chats and bank accounts transaction history and from the evidence collected so far, it is well established that the accused persons have committed the offence liable U/S- 419/ 420/467/120B IPC RW 66C/ 66D IT ACT,” the CP said in a press note.
Modus Operandi:
As per the police, the victim first received a message from an unknown number through WhatsApp with an offer to earn money by rating different hotels, restaurants, and small industries.
Accordingly, the victim followed their instructions and earned some money. Then the victim was asked to join a Telegram group namely VIP5000. There they motivated the victim to invest Rs.5000 and gave some tasks to earn more money. When the task was completed, they gave another task and the victim gave lakhs of money but did not receive it in return.
During the investigation, it was ascertained that the money of the victim had been credited to a Current A/c in the name Acadify Technology Pvt. Ltd. and on verification it was found that there is no such entity physically present at the said address where the account was created just to receive the money earned from Cyber Fraud.
On further verification, it was ascertained that there is a gang in Odisha who are creating mule Company current accounts to receive money, earning from cyber fraud, they also change the address on their Aadhar card to misguide the Police.
Advisory for Online Earning and Mule A/C Holders:-
- Don’t accept lucrative online earning offers on WhatsApp and Telegram, as they may lead to huge financial losses for you and your family.
- Don’t sell your account to unknown people and share your bank account details, internet banking username, password, ATM Card details, and chequebooks to any third party/Agent, They may misuse in Cyber Fraud.
- Don’t fall for promises that allure with fast return or zero risk and sell your bank account to a third party/agent.
- Don’t make unconventional online payments through NEFT/IMPS/RTGS to A/C Holders in investment and trading where you have no idea whom you are sending to unknown accounts.
- Research before doing any online earning activity.
- Nothing is free in the world if something is free then you are the product.
Report immediately at Bank, 1930 and nearest Cyber PS.
