- Bhonpuram Khabari, Rudrapur: The Special Task Force (STF) and Cyber Police Kumaon region have apprehended the mastermind of a significant cyber fraud, amounting to over Rs 36 lakh. The accused, identified as Ved Prakash Maurya, was arrested in Noida.
Divulging the information Deputy Superintendent of Police, STF/Cyber Cell, Sumit Pandey said, “The modus operandi of the accused involved obtaining data from insurance companies and contacting policyholders, posing as agents, through pre-activated SIM cards using fake IDs. The victims were lured into believing that their insurance policies would be cancelled, and they would receive lucrative returns on their investments. In reality, the money was siphoned off into different accounts controlled by the fraudsters”.
Maurya, who operates as an influencer on various social media platforms with a large following, had been previously arrested in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. After being released from Tihar Jail in Delhi, he resumed his fraudulent activities.
Following a complaint from a factory plant head in Pantnagar industrial estate of district Udham Singh Nagar, an investigation was launched, leading to the formation of a team supervised by Sumit Pandey, and Inspector Lalit Mohan Joshi of Cyber Crime Police Station, Kumaon Region.
Joshi said, “During the search, six mobile phones, several SIM cards, cheque books, and an FDIE company seal were recovered. Further interrogation revealed the involvement of Maurya’s accomplices, who assisted in depositing the defrauded amount into different bank accounts, later withdrawn through ATMs”.
The police believe that numerous individuals across India might have fallen victim to this gang’s scams, prompting authorities from various states to collaborate in their investigations.
“The public is urged to exercise caution while using social media and to avoid responding to suspicious messages, requests from unknown individuals, or alluring advertisements promising unrealistic profits. In case of any doubt, citizens are advised to reach out to the nearest police station or the cybercrime helpline number, 1930”, DSP Pandey further said.
