2 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Police Bust International Boss Scam Cybercrime Network
Police in Ahmedabad say they found a group that helped criminals carry out a scam called the Boss Scam.
The criminals pretended to be company bosses or government officials and asked employees to transfer money.
They allegedly used harmful computer files to take control of WhatsApp Web accounts.
Two men from West Bengal were arrested for allegedly supplying phone numbers, SIM cards and secret OTP codes.
Police say one accused used customers’ biometric information to create some SIM cards without their knowledge.
The police linked thousands of SIM cards to hundreds of cybercrime complaints.
They also said more than 10,000 phones and computers connected to the network were secured or turned off.
Investigators suspect the wider operation used technical infrastructure connected with China, India, Pakistan and Hong Kong.
Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch arrested West Bengal residents Imran Ali Piyada and Injammul Molla over alleged cybercrime infrastructure services.
Police allege Piyada misused customers’ biometric details to create dummy SIM cards and supplied mobile numbers, WhatsApp accounts and OTPs.
The investigation linked about 4,500 SIM cards to either 251 or 252 complaints across 26 Indian states, including 194 online financial frauds and three Boss Scam cases.
Police said approximately 21,000 e-commerce and gaming OTPs and 900 WhatsApp-activation OTPs were sold over about five years.
Investigators secured or deactivated more than 10,000 potentially connected devices and identified suspected infrastructure involving India, China, Pakistan and Hong Kong.
- Who
- Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch arrested Imran Ali Piyada and Injammul Molla, while investigating a wider network and possible foreign participants.
- What
- Police said the accused allegedly provided dummy SIM cards, mobile numbers, WhatsApp accounts and OTPs for a multinational Boss Scam and other cybercrimes.
- Where
- The investigation was announced in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and traced accused persons to West Bengal and Kolkata; suspected infrastructure also involved China, Pakistan and Hong Kong.
- When
- The arrests and police briefing were reported on Tuesday; the alleged OTP sales and network activity occurred over approximately four to five years.
- Why
- Police said the supplied digital infrastructure enabled criminals to impersonate executives or officials, take over WhatsApp accounts and induce employees to transfer money.
Police Findings
Investigation Caveats
International connections
Police Findings
Police said technical analysis indicated suspected China-associated malware, an Islamabad call centre, a China-based VPN service and infrastructure spanning China, India, Pakistan and Hong Kong.
Investigation Caveats
The reported links are preliminary police findings; the articles do not establish that foreign governments or all foreign-based actors were involved.
Scale of linked complaints
Police Findings
Ahmedabad Police said analysis of about 4,500 SIM cards connected the accused to hundreds of complaints across 26 states, including three Boss Scam cases.
Investigation Caveats
Reports differ on the total—251 complaints in some accounts and 252 in another—and the articles do not explain the discrepancy.
Money recovered
Police Findings
Police said intervention in the reported ₹1.5 crore Ahmedabad case prevented substantial losses and recovered a large portion of the money.
Investigation Caveats
Published accounts differ on the recovery figure, citing either ₹1.13 crore or ₹1.30 crore.
Key facts
- Arrests
- Two West Bengal residents: Imran Ali Piyada and Injammul Molla.
- SIM cards
- Approximately 4,500 SIM cards were allegedly procured for cybercrime operations.
- OTP sales
- About 21,000 e-commerce and gaming OTPs were allegedly sold at roughly ₹100 each, along with about 900 WhatsApp-activation OTPs at roughly ₹250 each.
- Complaints
- Police reports cite either 251 or 252 complaints across 26 states; the discrepancy was not explained.
- Complaint breakdown
- The cases included 194 online financial frauds and three Boss Scam cases, along with social-media, hacking and other cybercrime complaints.
- Devices
- More than 10,000 potentially connected laptops and mobile phones were secured or deactivated.
- International links
- Police suspected infrastructure associated with China, India, Pakistan and Hong Kong, including a call centre linked to Islamabad.
- Reported Ahmedabad loss
- One case involved an alleged ₹1.5 crore transfer after a Boss Scam; reports differed on whether ₹1.13 crore or ₹1.30 crore was recovered.
Quotes
Anupam Singh Gehlot
Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police
“So far, two arrests have been made from West Bengal, and our team is conducting further investigations. This group was essentially providing service, offering infrastructure to Pakistan and China to facilitate cyberattacks.”
deccanchronicle.com
““These individuals procured SIM cards and provided them to people sitting in other countries,” Gehlot said, adding that the network was providing infrastructure to facilitate cyberattacks.”
news18.com
Sources
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