The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) dealt a significant blow to a massive transnational cyber fraud operation on Wednesday, conducting simultaneous searches at ten locations in Delhi and its surrounding areas. This coordinated action, resulting from a complaint filed by the Union Home Ministry’s Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), targeted a sophisticated network allegedly responsible for defrauding victims of approximately ₹117 crore (approximately $14 million USD).
The CBI’s investigation has uncovered a complex web of deceit, involving not only domestic perpetrators but also suspected foreign actors. According to a CBI spokesperson, the fraudsters employed a variety of deceptive tactics, utilizing popular digital platforms like websites, WhatsApp, and Telegram to ensnare their victims. These tactics included enticing job scams promising lucrative part-time work, task-based frauds, and the alluring promise of high returns on seemingly legitimate investments.
Once victims deposited funds, the money was rapidly moved through a labyrinthine network of ‘mule accounts,’ deliberately designed to obfuscate the origin and trail of the illicit funds. This intricate layering of transactions makes tracing and recovering the stolen money exceptionally challenging. The searches conducted on Wednesday yielded significant results, with investigators seizing incriminating evidence, including electronic devices, financial records, and other crucial materials, from ten individuals suspected of involvement in the fraud. Two locations in Gurugram and eight in Delhi were targeted during the raids.
This operation builds upon a previous September investigation where the CBI conducted searches across 32 locations nationwide, targeting transnational cybercrime networks. Cities such as Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Vishakapatnam were included in that sweep. The September operation resulted in the discovery of four call centers, employing approximately 170 individuals engaged in fraudulent online activities, and led to 26 arrests. Seized assets included 951 items of evidence such as electronic devices, mobile phones, laptops, financial records, communication data, ₹58.45 lakh (approximately $70,000 USD) in cash, locker keys, and three luxury vehicles. The agency also uncovered evidence that these criminal networks engaged in impersonating tech support services to target victims, primarily in the United States, falsely claiming that their systems had been compromised.
The CBI’s ongoing investigations underscore the significant and growing threat of transnational cybercrime, highlighting the urgent need for international cooperation and robust cybersecurity measures to protect individuals and businesses from these sophisticated and increasingly prevalent criminal enterprises. The investigation remains ongoing, with the possibility of further arrests and asset seizures in the future.
