HYDERABAD: Be cautious when selling your old mobile phone to unknown individuals, as it could be used for cybercrime. When the police track the identity of the device, there is a chance that the seller of the phone might also be seen as a suspect in these crimes, the Telangana police said on Wednesday.
The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau identified that in the past month, three men—Mohammad Shamim (30), Abdul Salam (28), and Mohammad Iftikhar (32)— had purchased as many as 4,000 old mobile phones in Ramagundam and neighbouring districts at low rate with an intention to allegedly use the phones for committing cybercrime.
Based on a tip-off, the police apprehended the accused who were in possession of three gunny bags with nearly 4,000 old phones. When inquired, the accused reportedly revealed that they intended to transport the phones to Bihar where their associate would allegedly make some repairs and change software and other components of the phones and then sell it to cyber fraudsters operating from Jamtara, Deoghar and other areas in Jharkhand.
“These cyber fraudsters use the repaired phones to carry out scams,” said Telangana Cyber Security Bureau Director Shikha Goel on Wednesday.
The fourth accused, who allegedly sells the phones to cyber fraudsters is identified as Akthar Ali. He is currently absconding. Further investigation is on.