Srinagar Oct 13: Cyber Police Kashmir on Wednesday claimed to have busted a KYC (Know Your Customer) gang by arresting two men hailing from south Kashmir’s Anantnag district from a rented accommodation at New Theed Harwan area of Srinagar for defrauding people through fake calls and messages.
A Cyber Police official identified the accused duo as Mohammad Hanzala Beigh, son of Mohd Shafi resident of Court Road Vailoo, Kokernag in Anantnag and Mohammad Rajab Khan, son of Ali Mohammad of Wairad, Kokernag.
The duo in connivance with non-local cyber criminals operating from UP, Bihar and other states defrauded gullible citizens in organised ways, the Cyber Police said.
As per Cyber Police Kashmir, in such cases, the victims receive unsolicited communications in the form of calls and SMS, urging them to call on certain numbers for updating their KYC and are asked to share certain personal details, account/login details/card information, PIN, OTP, installing some unauthorised/unverified application through links provided in the communication.
“Such communications have also been reported to include threats of bank account freezing, blocking, or closure, ” it said.
“When the victims share information over a call/ message or access unauthorized application, fraudsters gain access to the customers’ bank accounts and defraud them”.
It has also been learnt that the messages are sent out to people for updating their KYC on their mobiles telling them that their SIM card KYC documents will expire soon and asking them to call on certain number failing which the number will be stopped within 24 hours.
When the complainants call on these numbers, the cyber criminals pose as representatives of leading telecom companies and ask callers to recharge by very small amounts like Rs 10 ,15 etc through mobile apps like JIO app, Cyber Police said.
The fraudsters, it said, make victims to download remote access applications like Anydesk, Quick Support or Team viewer and then make them to provide their personal and financial details.
“When the unaware victims follow their directions and make recharge payment, they receive messages related to withdrawal of money from their bank accounts, ” Cybei Police said adding “lakhs of rupees have been siphoned by the Cyber Criminals in Kashmir valley through these frauds”.
As per the Cyber Police, preliminary investigation has revealed that the arrested Anantnag duo for illegal monetary gains, connived with non-local cyber criminals operating from UP, Bihar and other states in organised ways to cheat and defraud gullible citizens.
“The typical mode of operation in such cases usually includes that these fraudsters withdraw money from the accounts of victims and transfer it to bank accounts based in different parts of country and ultimately withdraw it, ” it said.
“But a very unusual modus operandi was found wherein Kashmir based bank accounts were found involved in this incident”.
As per Cyber Police Kashmir, the arrested duo were found to have created dozens of local bank accounts fraudulently and have provided the same along with their ATM Cards to the co-accused located outside state.
Most of the bank accounts have been created in the name of destitute women from South Kashmir & Srinagar who have been provided some monetary benefits by the arrested persons, it said.
Moreover, Cyber Police Kashmir also recovered 07 Mobile Phones, 13 Sim Cards, 47 ATM Debit/Credit cards of different banks, 36 FINO Bank account Kit books, 04 Cheque Books, 06 blank cheques, 07 Passbooks and other documents. Further investigation is going on in the case.