Hyderabad police crackdown on cyber frauds across five states, arrest 23
Hyderabad: In a major operation to combat rising cybercrime, the Cyber Crime Police Station in Hyderabad has arrested 23 individuals involved in large-scale financial frauds. The operation, conducted across Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, targeted various fraudulent schemes and dismantled sophisticated networks that exploited system loopholes to facilitate financial scams.
The cases investigated covered a range of cybercrime activities. Five cases involved investment fraud, with suspects luring victims with false promises of lucrative returns. Two cases involved digital arrest scams, where fraudsters impersonated law enforcement officers to trick victims into paying money under false pretenses. Three cases were related to trading frauds, where individuals were deceived through fake trading platforms. One case involved APK file fraud, and two additional cases were related to job scams.
The total amount defrauded from victims in these cases amounted to Rs. 5,29,98,006 (over five crores). During the operation, authorities seized Rs. 40,000 in cash, 25 mobile phones, 45 SIM cards, 28 bank passbooks and checkbooks, 23 debit and credit cards, one laptop, three QR code scanners, and five shell company stamps.
The 23 arrested suspects are linked to 30 cases in Telangana and 359 cases across India. Investigators found that many fraudsters were part of well-organized syndicates, including compromised bank officials and “mule” account suppliers, who played a key role in facilitating the scams.
In a positive development, the police were able to refund Rs. 39,00,000 to victims in three separate cases during the operation.
The operation was carried out closely with police units across multiple states. It was based on detailed intelligence gathering and advanced investigative techniques to uncover and dismantle these criminal networks. Special focus was placed on identifying and arresting key players, such as bank officials and masterminds behind the fraud schemes.
Authorities have issued a strong advisory urging the public to remain cautious when dealing with unknown individuals on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram, particularly those offering high returns on small investments. Police have also warned against engaging with websites or groups that make unrealistic promises of lucrative returns.
Citizens are further advised to be vigilant of suspicious calls or messages, especially those claiming to be from law enforcement and demanding money to prove innocence. The police emphasize that law enforcement agencies never request payments via digital means.
Anyone encountering suspicious activity is encouraged to immediately report it by calling the cybercrime helpline at 1930 or visiting the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in.