Karnataka: Here’s how Bengaluru was hit by Rs 40 crore part-time job scam

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Nov 29, 2023, 9:11 AM IST

Bengaluru was shaken by a ₹40 crore online job scam where four individuals duped people with fake part-time job offers. They lured victims into investing or buying products for promised returns. Prompt action by the CEN police led to the arrest of four culprits, revealing an intricate scheme involving fabricated documents, forged contracts, and illicit bank accounts. The hunt continues for two absconding suspects.

In a startling revelation, Bengaluru was rocked by a scam amounting to ₹40 crore in the guise of promising part-time jobs. The perpetrators, four individuals identified as Syed Yunus Fazil, Mohammad Kalimullah, Syed Arbaz, and Ibrahim Kurnool, were apprehended by the CEN police station of the North-Eastern Division after duping numerous individuals through an online job scam.

The accused, hailing from various areas in the city, had managed to extract more than ₹40 crore by deceiving people into believing they were offering part-time job opportunities online. Their modus operandi involved luring victims into investing money, promising profits based on these investments, or coaxing them into purchasing various products with the assurance of returns.

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The scam came to light after Pooja Sawant lodged a complaint last September, reporting a loss of ₹88,000 due to falling prey to this online part-time job scheme. Prompt action ensued under the leadership of Inspector Mallikarjun and guidance from DCP Lakshmi Prasad, resulting in the arrest of the fraudsters. The team managed to seize ₹60 lakh from the accused's bank accounts, along with mobile phones, SIM cards, and company seals utilized in their fraudulent activities. However, the search for absconding suspects named Hussain and Moin is ongoing.

The elaborate scam involved the creation of multiple bank accounts using fabricated documents. The accused utilized the names of various companies by renting shops and forging contracts to open current accounts. Ibrahim, a mobile shop owner, facilitated the acquisition of SIM cards necessary for linking mobile numbers to these fraudulent bank accounts. Shockingly, these SIM cards were obtained using copied documents provided by the public, without any verification.

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Further investigation revealed the mastermind behind this operation, identified as Hussain from Mumbai, operating from Dubai. Hussain orchestrated the cyber fraud scheme and introduced the other culprits through his associate Mohin. He paid hefty sums for each account and SIM card to open bank accounts, visiting the city monthly to collect bank details and facilitate fraud.

Details from 30 bank accounts have been accessed, confirming a transfer of ₹40 crore into 26 of these accounts. Authorities suspect the total amount defrauded could rise as they delve into additional accounts linked to this scheme. This fraudulent operation spanned five months, illustrating the depth and complexity of the orchestrated scam that targeted unsuspecting individuals seeking part-time work opportunities online.

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