Bhubaneswar, Jan 12 (IANS) The Rourkela Police in Odisha on Monday busted an interstate cybercrime gang and arrested seven alleged fraudsters, including a bank employee, who used to open mule bank accounts that were sold or rented to cybercriminals across the country and used to launder money defrauded from unsuspecting victims.

Police sources stated that the gang was primarily engaged in the procurement and operation of mule bank accounts opened in the names of residents, mainly from Rourkela and nearby areas.

“The gang arrange bank accounts, activates SIM cards and identity cards of unsuspecting individuals. They often use forged documents and impersonation. Many accounts were opened with the tacit approval or negligence of complicit bank staff; bypassing standard Know Your Customer (KYC) norms,” informed the Rourkela Police in a press note on Monday.

The accused persons later sold or rented those accounts to cybercriminals across India. These accounts were rented or sold for a meagre amount of Rs 5,000-10,000 per account, which was then distributed among the members of the syndicate.

These mule accounts were used as pass-through accounts to receive fraudulent proceeds from cybercrime victims. The funds were eventually siphoned off both within India and abroad through laundering.

The investigating officers also found during the course of the investigation that these mule accounts were involved in around 200 cyber fraud complaints or cases across India, as ascertained through the SAMANWAYA portal under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Given the volume of accounts opened with forged documents and without adequate scrutiny, the police also suspect the involvement of more bank insiders from different banks.

In another cybercrime case, the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate Police arrested three more cybercriminals of the Katri Sarai gang of Bihar.

As many as 12 alleged cyber fraudsters of the gang were arrested by the twin city police on Sunday.

The gang, operating from Bhubaneswar, used to dupe innocent victims of their hard-earned money by luring them with fake gift voucher wins, Kerala lottery scams, and fraudulent loan offers.

–IANS

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