Gang lures victims with free hotel stay, uses their bank accounts for fraudulent money transfers
Mumbai: While investigating a Rs 2 crore cheating case wherein the secretary of a company was duped by a man impersonating the company's director, police busted a gang that would use people's bank accounts for fraudulent money transfers.
The accused would contact people through social media, offering them stays in hotels and assuring them that their expenses would be covered, in addition to giving them money. In return, the gang took the bank account details of these individuals and used them to receive money from cyber victims.
Police arrested were Shubham Kunjir, Akshay Shelke, Ujwal Raj Singh, Shubham Pardesi alias Rajput and Goa resident Aditya Shinde.
A West Region Cyber Crime police station team led by senior inspector Suvarna Shinde and assistant inspector Dr Nitin Gachche began the probe and arrested Kunjir, whose account was used in the crime. He told the police that an unknown person, whom he met on Facebook, offered him a stay in a hotel, free meals, and Rs 1.5 lakh. Kunjir agreed and stayed in an Andheri hotel for three days, giving his debit card, and SIM card to Akshay Shelke, who arranged his accommodation.
Shelke told the police that he provided bank account details to Singh and Pardesi, and received a commission. Shelke disclosed that he arranged hotel accommodation for 10 to 15 account holders in and around Andheri in the past. Singh and Pardesi were arrested on June 16 from Andheri. They told the police that they started the internet banking of Kunjir's account and gave its user ID, password, and OTP to a person called 'Mr Lucifer' through WhatsApp. At the same time, they also helped him in transactions by giving remote access to his mobile. The probe team found that the real name of Lucifer was Aditya Shinde, and he was in Goa. On June 19, he was arrested from Goa with the help of Goa's Colva Police Station personnel.
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