4 extortionists who offered loan via app arrested by Chandigarh police

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 6

Four members of a gang extorting money from people under the guise of loan offers have been arrested by the Cybercrime Investigation Cell of the UT police.

The gang, which was being operated from Dubai, offered loans via apps and subsequently coerced victims into paying money by threatening them with sending their morphed pictures to their contacts. Cops claimed that the gang had made several crores through this modus operandi.

The police said a woman lodged a complaint that she had got a message on her mobile phone from an app called ‘Real Money’. She downloaded the app after which Rs 1,800 loan was transferred to her bank account. The police said the victim tried to repay the money through the same app, but failed to do so. A few days later, the victim started receiving messages, asking her to repay the loan amount. Threatening calls ensued.

The police said the victim transferred amount through UPI to various bank accounts, but the suspects kept demanding more money. They told the woman that they had access to her mobile phone and contacts saved in it and would send her morphed pictures to everyone. The victim got intimidated and transferred around Rs 4.38 lakh.

The police said during investigation, raids were conducted in Ghaziabad that led to the arrest of Adesh Kumar (33), Tanveer Khan (42) and Wazid (36). Their accomplice Mahfooz Alam (45) was arrested from Delhi.

Tanveer and Wazid were earlier arrested by the Madhya Pradesh police for cybercrime and were presently out on bail, the police said.

Wazid managed the bank accounts receiving victims’ money. These accounts were in the name of Adesh and Tanveer. Shell trading firms were opened using their documents. Mahfooz facilitated distribution of SIM cards and bank-related documents among other gang members. “Mahfooz received 1% of the money extorted from each victim,” said a police official.

Probe revealed that the fraudsters used around 10 accounts to con people.

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