New Delhi, Dec 15 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested three organised cyber gang members during raids in Delhi, Noida, and Chandigarh for supplying 21,000 SIM cards used for sending bulk messages for frauds like digital arrests, loan scams and investment offers, an official said on Monday.
Sonveer Singh, Maneesh Upreti and Himalaya were arrested after the CBI detected that the gang was providing bulk SMS services to cyber criminals to send phishing messages.
It was found that even foreign cyber criminals were using this service to cheat Indian citizens, said the statement.
"Initial investigation has shown that around 21,000 SIM cards were obtained in violation of DoT rules," the CBI said.
These SIM cards were controlled through an online platform to send bulk messages. The messages offered fake loans, investment opportunities, and other financial benefits with the aim of stealing personal and banking details of innocent people.
A CBI statement said that the probe agency's action, taken as part of Operation Chakra-V, disrupted the large cyber fraud setup that was being used to send phishing messages across the country.
"These messages were tricking people into various cyber frauds such as fake digital arrests, loan scams, and investment frauds," said the statement.
Under Operation Chakra-V, which focuses on breaking the backbone of cybercrime in India, the CBI studied the huge number of fake SMS messages that people receive daily and which often lead them into serious financial fraud.
During the investigation, the CBI identified an organised cyber gang operating from the NCR/Chandigarh area. This gang was providing bulk SMS services to cyber criminals.
The SIM cards, illegally procured by the gang, were controlled through an online platform to send bulk messages, said the CBI.
Working closely with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and using information from various sources, including the Sanchar Saathi portal, CBI registered a case against private company, Lord Mahavira Services India Pvt. Ltd. The company was allegedly running the above illegal system that allowed fraudsters to send large numbers of fake messages to people across India, the CBI said.
During the multi-city searches, the CBI found a complete and active system used for sending phishing messages. This system included servers, communication devices, USB hubs, dongles, and thousands of SIM cards. Using this setup, lakhs of fraud messages were being sent every day, said the statement.
The CBI has seized important digital evidence, unaccounted cash, and cryptocurrency during the operation. Early findings also suggest the involvement of some channel partners of telecom companies and their employees, who helped in illegally arranging SIM cards for this fraud, said the CBI.
--IANS
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