New Delhi: In a major breakthrough, Delhi Police apprehended seven individuals on Saturday for allegedly orchestrating a credit card scam under the guise of increasing credit limits. The accused, identified as Nitin Kumar, Akhil Tanwar, Shivam Suryan, Kapil Gupta, Suresh, Sumit Sharma, and Sunny Kumar, were arrested near Ramphal Chowk in Dwarka, according to authorities.

Using deceptive methods to lure victims 

Operating from a call center camouflaged as a cloth manufacturing center, the accused, aged between 18 and 30, used deceptive methods to lure victims. Deputy Commissioner of Police Chandan Chowdhary revealed that the arrestees had 218 SIM cards, 20 mobile phones, and seven ATM cards in their possession.

Investigations disclosed that the accused, facing economic challenges due to job losses during the COVID-19 lockdown, resorted to cyber fraud as a means to earn quick money. The trio of Nitin, Shivam, and Akhil, formerly employed as milk delivery boys, transitioned to fraudulent activities after losing their jobs.

Chowdhary explained, “They further said that they arranged fake SIM cards and bank accounts from Alex whom they met on Telegram. Alex used to send bank documents and SIM cards using online delivery services like Porter.”

The modus operandi involved obtaining e-data, including names, addresses, card numbers, and mobile numbers of potential victims from Alex. Subsequently, the accused would contact these individuals, enticing them with promises to increase their credit card limits. The victims were then coerced into divulging their card details and OTP, enabling the fraudsters to debit amounts from their cards.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, and further interrogation of the arrested individuals will shed light on additional details of their cyber fraud activities. 

The swift action by Delhi Police serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by cybercrime and the importance of vigilance in safeguarding personal financial information.