Telangana police have busted an interstate cybercrime gang and arrested five persons from Bihar who allegedly cheated victims across the country by offering fake fertiliser franchise opportunities and online loan services.
According to police, the accused are suspected to be linked to 498 cybercrime complaints nationwide involving fraudulent transactions worth around Rs 3.5 crore.
Around 90 complaints have been reported from Telangana, SP Akhila Mahajan said.
The gang allegedly operated fake websites and posed as representatives of a fertiliser company to lure victims with franchise offers.
"After collecting Aadhaar, PAN, photographs and bank details from applicants, the accused allegedly demanded money under various pretexts, including registration, licence, service and franchise-transfer charges,'' the SP said.
The case came to light after Akunuru Ganesh, a resident of Adilabad district, was allegedly cheated of Rs 3.85 lakh.
According to police, the fraudsters contacted him through phone calls, WhatsApp and email, offering a fertilizer franchise. After an initial registration payment of Rs 50,000, they allegedly extracted additional amounts through multiple transactions before becoming unreachable.
A technical investigation led police to the cybercrime network operating from Bihar. Four of the accused are from Nawada district, while the fifth is from Nalanda district.
Police seized 10 mobile phones and Rs 70,000 in cash. Investigators also traced around Rs 8 lakh in suspected fraud proceeds in bank accounts and stock market investments and froze the funds.
Police said the accused were also allegedly running a fake Bajaj loan scheme, targeting people searching online for loans and collecting personal documents before demanding various fees.
"Cybercriminals are constantly changing their methods and using fake websites and online advertisements to target unsuspecting people," SP Akhil Mahajan said.
He advised citizens to independently verify companies and websites before making payments.
"Do not share Aadhaar, PAN, bank details or OTPs with unknown persons or unverified websites. People should immediately report suspected cyber fraud through the official cybercrime reporting channels," the SP added.
The arrested accused were produced before a court and sent to judicial remand. Further investigation is underway.
