BENGALURU: The Cyber Command police have arrested three people for allegedly procuring and supplying bank accounts belonging to various individuals to route cyber-fraud proceeds. The accused allegedly supplied the accounts to multiple cyber fraudsters. The police have frozen 507 bank accounts linked to the network.
The accused are Amit Mishra, a resident of Jharkhand, and Tausif Ahmed and Parashuram Sadanand Kannanavar, both residents of Bengaluru.
An officer said the network was busted during an investigation into an investment fraud in which a Bengaluru resident, Harish Kumar KN, allegedly lost more than Rs 93.5 lakh. After analysing digital evidence and bank transactions, the police traced Mishra and the two others and arrested them.
An examination of the accused’s mobiles revealed that they had collected details of 507 bank accounts from various individuals to route cyber-fraud proceeds and had also supplied the account details to other fraudsters.
Around Rs 13 lakh in cyber-fraud proceeds was transferred through a savings bank account, while more than Rs 38 lakh was transferred through a current account, the police said. Six mobile phones were seized from the accused.
The police further said that details of the ZNPAY/SMS-forwarding APK files and 51 other APK files had been forwarded to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), seeking technical information and further details regarding their functionality, usage and purpose.
During the digital investigation, the police identified technical details relating to Telegram and WhatsApp accounts used by the accused and other absconding cyber fraudsters. A preliminary technical and IP geolocation analysis of the Telegram and WhatsApp IP information indicated locations associated with Kolkata, Hong Kong and California in the US.
The available technical information indicates the possibility that the cyber-fraud network is not confined to India and may also be using foreign IP addresses and network infrastructure, the officer said.
Police said that they are also investigating the KYC details, bank statements, money trail, NCRP and cybercrime complaint linkages of the 507 bank accounts, ZNPAY/APK infrastructure, linked SIM cards, WhatsApp and Telegram communications, IP logs, intermediaries and ultimate beneficiaries.
MODUS OPERANDI
Accounts recruited: Current, corporate and trust bank accounts were collected from individuals by offering commissions. Net-banking credentials and SIM cards linked to the accounts were obtained
APK links sent: Links to ZNPAY/SMS-forwarding APKs were sent to account holders. Clicking the links led to the APKs being installed on their phones
OTPs & SMS diverted: APKs enabled banking OTPs and SMS alerts received on the linked SIM cards to be forwarded to the cyber fraudsters. With access to the banking credentials, the fraudsters could remotely operate the bank accounts and transfer funds
Commissions paid: The accused, account suppliers and other intermediaries allegedly received commissions for facilitating the operation
AT A GLANCE
Frozen bank accounts: 507
Mobiles seized: 6
Potential work locations: Hong Kong, California, Kolkata
