Gurugram Police Uncover Major International Cyber Fraud Network

Major Cyber Fraud Network Exposed

The Gurugram police have successfully dismantled a significant international cyber fraud operation linked to the Philippines and Cambodia. They arrested five key suspects involved in a racket utilizing SIM box technology for 'digital capture' scams. This operation revealed a global syndicate that was bypassing India's telecommunications systems to conduct fraudulent calls and extort money from victims. The police action was initiated following five separate complaints, leading to coordinated raids in the U-Block and Chakpur areas of Gurugram. Local landlords first raised suspicions after noticing unusual activities in rental properties, which had been transformed into temporary tech hubs filled with electronic devices and wiring instead of being used for residential purposes.

Details of the Police Operation

A special investigation team (SIT), led by senior police officials, conducted the raids and uncovered what authorities described as a mini-telecom setup. During this extensive operation, police seized 13 SIM boxes used for illegal call routing, 504 active SIM cards, seven Wi-Fi cameras with human identification features, seven routers, inverters, batteries, and various networking equipment. DCP (Cyber Crime) Gaurav Rajpurohit confirmed the arrests of five individuals, including Rahul Kumar from Uttar Pradesh, Yash Amrut Singh Duggar from Gujarat, Bhavika Ramesh Bhagchandani, and Litish and Sagar from Maharashtra. Investigators noted that this group played distinct roles in establishing infrastructure, managing communications, and handling financial transactions.

Insights from Initial Investigations

Preliminary inquiries revealed that Rahul Kumar was in contact with his operators based in the Philippines, who guided him on setting up the SIM boxes and routing calls via video calls. These devices were installed at various locations in Gurugram, including DLF Phase-3, allowing the gang to disguise international calls as local ones. Meanwhile, Bhavika Bhagchandani was linked to individuals active in Cambodia. Investigators reported that she collaborated with her associates to convert the fraudulently obtained funds into cryptocurrency, primarily USDT, which was subsequently transferred abroad. Yash Duggar is accused of facilitating these financial transactions by acting as an intermediary in the money conversion process.