NEW DELHI: Delhi Police has arrested eight people, including individuals holding B-Tech degrees, MBA qualifications and cyber security diplomas, for allegedly operating an interstate investment fraud syndicate linked to cyber fraud networks based in Cambodia, officials said.
According to police, the accused targeted victims through WhatsApp groups operated using foreign numbers, mainly from Cambodia, and lured them into investing in fake stock trading platforms by displaying fabricated profit screenshots. Investigators found around 60 complaints linked to multiple mule bank accounts involved in transactions worth nearly Rs 4.5 crore within just 14 days.
The accused were identified as Harmanjot Singh and Qaisar Masoodi from Punjab; Abhishek from Haryana; Mohammad Zahid and Amir Malik from Delhi; and Amarjeet Ahirwar, Alok Sharma and Anant Pandey from Madhya Pradesh. Police said several of them possessed technical and professional qualifications, including degrees in engineering, management and cyber security.
The case came to light after a complainant approached police in March alleging he had been cheated of Rs 24 lakh on the pretext of online stock market investment. According to officials, the victim was added to a WhatsApp group where admins convinced members to invest through an online trading platform. Believing the scheme to be genuine after seeing fake profit screenshots, the complainant transferred money into multiple bank accounts provided by the fraudsters.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Amit Goel said investigations revealed that the fraudulent website had been deactivated after the offence and the cheated money was routed through mule accounts opened using shell firms across different states.