Two men were arrested in Bengaluru for running a SIM box scam that routed international calls as local ones, defrauding telecom firms and the government. Police seized 706 SIM cards and equipment used in the illegal exchange setup.
Bengaluru: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) Cyber Crime Police have arrested two individuals for allegedly converting international calls into local calls using illegal SIM boxes, causing financial losses worth crores of rupees to the government and telecom companies.
Accused From Kerala and Kodagu
The arrested individuals have been identified as Mohammad Safap Kuruniyan from Malappuram, Kerala, and MA Fayaz from Somwarpet in Kodagu district. Police seized a clandestine telephone exchange, several SIM boxes, mobile phones, six routers, a laptop, and 706 SIM cards worth around ₹10 lakh.
City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh stated that the seized SIM cards may have been used in other cybercrimes as well. The full extent of financial losses is yet to be calculated but is expected to run into crores.
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How the Scam Worked?
The scam came to light when Bharti Airtel Limited’s nodal officer filed a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police, alleging the illegal use of SIM boxes near Rama Mandira on Immadihalli Main Road in Whitefield, Bengaluru. These devices were being used to convert international calls into local calls, posing both financial and security risks.
Based on technical intelligence, the police apprehended Mohammad Kuruniyan from Malappuram. During interrogation, he confessed to setting up a SIM box in Immadihalli to route international calls through local networks.
Further investigation revealed a larger network, including two more individuals, one of whom, Fayaz, was subsequently arrested. The remaining accused are believed to be operating from overseas.
Low-Cost Calls, High Profits
The accused offered low-cost international calling services to migrant workers, allowing them to connect with families back home at cheaper rates. These calls were rerouted through illegal SIM boxes set up in a rented house on Immadihalli Main Road.
The group imported SIM boxes via courier from abroad and operated an unauthorised telephone exchange, earning an estimated ₹4–5 lakh per month through hawala transactions, police added.
