Cyber crooks cast web wide, net villagers for mule accounts in Telangana, Maharashtra
HYDERABAD: The ongoing probe into the use of mule accounts by cyber fraudsters has revealed that they operated a much larger network - spread much beyond Bhainsa.
Officials of the TG- Cyber Security Bureau (TG-CSB) have found that the scammers tricked villagers in Kamareddy and Nizamabad in Telangana as well as Nanded and Dharmabad in neighbouring Maharashtra, into opening these accounts that they used to park laundered money. The villagers' profiles: farmers, lorry drivers and daily wage workers.
Police found that lakhs of rupees was credited into these farmers' accounts every month, even though the monthly income of these gullible villagers was not more than Rs 20,000. They came to know that the excess funds were, instead, money siphoned off by fraudsters from victims of online gambling.
Agents tasked with being virtual payment gateways to evade cops
The ongoing probe into mule accounts has revealed a much larger network. TG-CSB officials have now issued a warning stating that those who allow others to use their bank accounts will be made criminally liable.
As it turns out, the arrested agents first approached their friends and relatives in the rural areas for help, claiming that they needed to open new bank accounts for soya and cotton business. Later, they lured people known to their friends and relatives with the promise of paying 2,000 to 5,000 per head, for providing bank accounts.
As part of alleged conspiracy, these agents also bought SIM cards for villagers and made them use those in their phones. "The agents used to accompany the villagers to the bank, make them complete their KYC. Once the bank account was opened and active for use, they used to take the SIM card back and also collect the banking kit. Till now, we have found that mule accounts were opened in 10 different banks," said a source from TG-CSB, adding, "The same SIM cards and online banking kits were used to divert the victims' money to various other accounts".
Cops have also found that the arrested agents were employed by fraudsters for a fixed monthly salary of 50,000 for providing mule accounts. Apart from this, the agents were also tasked with being the virtual payment gateways to evade police.
"The money paid by gamblers online was routed to the mule accounts of villagers. These accounts were all handled by fraudsters sitting in Dubai or elsewhere. The agents had access to only some accounts," said a source explaining how the kingpins used the agents while making payments.
"At the end of each day, the customers who won the game were transferred money. But instead of doing that through payment gateways - for fear of cops using the transactions to track them down - the fraudsters gave this task to agents like Shinde and the other accused," source said.
The accused, in turn, used the mule accounts of villagers to make these payments. So that even if cops tried to track these huge inflow and outflow of cash, it would lead them to the villagers - leaving them to face the music of law enforcement agencies.
Police found that lakhs of rupees was credited into these farmers' accounts every month, even though the monthly income of these gullible villagers was not more than Rs 20,000. They came to know that the excess funds were, instead, money siphoned off by fraudsters from victims of online gambling.
Agents tasked with being virtual payment gateways to evade cops
As it turns out, the arrested agents first approached their friends and relatives in the rural areas for help, claiming that they needed to open new bank accounts for soya and cotton business. Later, they lured people known to their friends and relatives with the promise of paying 2,000 to 5,000 per head, for providing bank accounts.
As part of alleged conspiracy, these agents also bought SIM cards for villagers and made them use those in their phones. "The agents used to accompany the villagers to the bank, make them complete their KYC. Once the bank account was opened and active for use, they used to take the SIM card back and also collect the banking kit. Till now, we have found that mule accounts were opened in 10 different banks," said a source from TG-CSB, adding, "The same SIM cards and online banking kits were used to divert the victims' money to various other accounts".
"The money paid by gamblers online was routed to the mule accounts of villagers. These accounts were all handled by fraudsters sitting in Dubai or elsewhere. The agents had access to only some accounts," said a source explaining how the kingpins used the agents while making payments.
"At the end of each day, the customers who won the game were transferred money. But instead of doing that through payment gateways - for fear of cops using the transactions to track them down - the fraudsters gave this task to agents like Shinde and the other accused," source said.
The accused, in turn, used the mule accounts of villagers to make these payments. So that even if cops tried to track these huge inflow and outflow of cash, it would lead them to the villagers - leaving them to face the music of law enforcement agencies.
Top Comment
Nationcomesfirst
52 days ago
lot of indians fall for greed ..Read allPost comment
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