Bengaluru: A cybercrime network using mule bank accounts to divert fraud proceeds has been busted by the north division cyber crime police, with investigators identifying 507 accounts linked to the accused.
Examination of the devices led police to identify 507 mule bank accounts being used to transfer cyber-fraud money. Further, the arrested revealed Rs 13 lakh of cyber-fraud proceeds was transferred to a bank account and Rs 38 lakh of cyber-fraud proceeds were transferred through another account. The details of the ZNPAY/SMS-forwarding APK files and 51 other different APK files have been forwarded to I4C, seeking technical information and further details regarding their functionality, usage and purpose.
Following the complaint, police launched an investigation. The investigation also revealed the alleged use of Binance wallets and the Botim app in connection with receiving the fraud proceeds and communication among the accused, police said. Among the main accused is Amit, who revealed the role of Tausif and Parashuram.
The arrested are Amit Mishra , from Singhbhum district in Jharkhand, Tausif Ahmed and Parashuram Sadanand Kannavar alias Pavan Kumar, both from Bengaluru. Police alleged that the accused had formed a criminal network to receive and transfer cyber-fraud proceeds through mule accounts. Acting on technical information, police arrested three accused. They seized six mobile phones from the accused. Police also found that the accounts were linked to cybercrime cases registered in Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka and several other states. The accused used APK files to facilitate the transfer of fraud proceeds and communicated with intermediaries through WhatsApp and Telegram to obtain and exchange bank-account details. Police are now examining WhatsApp, Telegram and email records to identify other intermediaries who supplied mule accounts to the accused and trace the wider network.
The case came to light after a victim, Harish Kumar KN, received a WhatsApp link on April 29. After clicking it, he was added to a WhatsApp group named ‘E1 Investment Strategies Discussion’, where messages about trading and investments were regularly posted between 7pm and 8.30pm.