Visakhapatnam police nab 16 additional suspects in cybercrime scam

Visakhapatnam:Visakhapatnam City Police have arrested 16 more suspects in connection with an illegal payment gateway scam, building on previous arrests of key figures in the operation.

The Cyber Crime Police of Visakhapatnam have been investigating a sophisticated network of cybercriminals. The main suspects, Sairam, Surya Mohan (who is currently absconding), and Girish, are implicated in utilizing 1,258 bank accounts and SIM cards registered under their names to facilitate these illicit activities. Notably, 470 of these accounts were opened at banks within Visakhapatnam, with transactions totalling crores of rupees.

The investigation has also led to the arrest of five additional individuals who provided fake business and savings accounts to support the cyber scam. Furthermore, police discovered an illegal payment gateway call centre and an online betting promotion centre named Lucky Kismat, both operated by Girish.

The Lucky Kismat call centre employed 11 female telecallers who targeted potential victims with offers of a Rs 333 bonus for signing up on the platform. These tele callers subsequently urged victims to engage in online betting games. All 11 tele callers have been detained and are currently in police custody.

Additionally, the investigation revealed connections to five individuals based in China, suspected of being part of this criminal network. The Cyber Crime Police have issued a warning to the public to remain alert against potential cyber threats. Citizens are advised to be cautious when interacting with unknown individuals on social media platforms such as Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

They should avoid accepting requests from strangers who may lure them with promises of quick financial gains, which could lead to exploitation of their bank account information for illegal purposes.