The Panvel Cyber Cell has successfully arrested two persons of a gang involved in providing fake bank accounts to cybercriminals, leading to the arrest of two suspects in Vasai. The accused, identified as Sudhir Jain alias Yogesh Parasamal Jain (34) and Sandesh alias Himanshu Dinesh Kumar Jain (22), are currently being interrogated by the police to determine the extent of their fraudulent activities.

The investigation was initiated following a complaint lodged by a merchant navy captain residing in the Ulwe area, who fell victim to the gang's deceptive tactics. Lured by promises of high returns on investment, he was tricked into transferring a total of Rs.10.4 lakh across various bank accounts.

After the complaint was filed at the Vavasheva police station, the Cyber Cell delved into the matter, tracing the financial transactions and analyzing the bank accounts used in the scam. Their inquiries led them to a gang operating in the Vasai-Virar region that specialized in opening fake bank accounts.

A team from the Panvel Cyber Cell, led by Senior Police Inspector Dipali Patil and Assistant Police Inspector Vrishali Pawar, executed a raid on a shop near Vasai Railway Station. During the operation, they discovered nine individuals in suspicious circumstances. Both Sudhir and Sandesh Jain were found with documentation for opening bank accounts, including ATM cards and mobile phones.

Further investigation revealed that the arrested individuals were using aliases and were part of a larger scheme to exploit unemployed youth. They had been renting shops in the Vasai-Virar and Goregaon areas, enticing young people from states like Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan under the guise of job opportunities. Fake tenancy agreements and police verification documents were used to establish business accounts in the names of these unsuspecting individuals. SIM cards and debit cards from these accounts were then sent to accomplices in Udaipur, Rajasthan, who used them to conduct cyber fraud.

During the operation, the Cyber Cell seized a substantial cache of evidence, including: 52 debit cards from various banks, 18 mobile phones, 17 cheque books, 15 SIM cards, 8 Aadhaar cards, 8 PAN cards, 3 driving licenses, 2 voter ID cards, VGT cards of fake businesses

In light of these developments, the Navi Mumbai Police have urged citizens to safeguard their personal information. Residents are advised against sharing their PAN card, Aadhaar card, linked mobile number, or bank account details without necessity to avoid falling victim to similar cyber fraud schemes.

The writer is a freelancer