Ahmedabad, December 30: In a sophisticated online fraud operation, two college dropouts from Gujarat collected a staggering sum of Rs 60 crore in just three months by deceiving individuals enticed with promises of money for carrying out online tasks. The key suspects, identified as Rupesh Pravikumar Thakkar, aged 33 and Pankajbhai Govardhan Oad, aged 34, were arrested by the police, who subsequently froze Rs 1.1 crore in one of their bank accounts.

According to the Times of India report, the investigation revealed 32 bank accounts with transactions totalling Rs 60 crore over the short span of two to three months. The duo targeted victims across India, luring them with offers of part-time online jobs and bonuses ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 for completing simple tasks. The victims were predominantly in the age group of 25 to 55 years. Bank Must Give Compensation to Victims of Cyber Fraud If Alerted Promptly, Says Gujarat Consumer Court; Orders SBI to Compensate Victim Who Lost Over Rs 59,000 in UPI Scam.

The fraudsters claimed to provide a basic salary allowance of Rs 10,000 per week for working just one to two hours daily, with payments to be made through online banking. As per the report, the scam came to light when a 19-year-old VJTI student named Krish filed a complaint after falling victim to the scheme. Krish invested Rs 1,000 initially, only to be duped into depositing a total of Rs 2.45 lakh in various instalments. The promise of earnings turned out to be a ruse, leaving Krish unable to withdraw any money and resulting in a significant loss. Cryptocurrency Scam in Ahmedabad: Techie Duped of Rs 1 Crore by Woman He Met on Matrimonial Site, Probe Underway.

The cyber cell, led by senior inspector Deepak Chavan of the Matunga police station, began tracing the bank account used in the fraudulent transactions. The investigation uncovered a complex network involving 33 debit and credit cards, 32 bank accounts across India, six high-end mobile phones, 28 SIM cards, rubber stamps, fake agreements, and other documents. The arrested individuals, Thakkar and Oad, disclosed that the mastermind, identified as Alex, is believed to be operating from London. The police are intensifying efforts to apprehend Alex and dismantle the entire fraud network.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 30, 2023 06:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).