International Cyber Fraud Syndicate Busted by Andhra Pradesh Police

Andhra Pradesh Police arrested 14 members of an international cyber fraud syndicate linked to Cambodia. The group allegedly defrauded a 75-year-old retired professor of Rs 78.6 lakh through WhatsApp calls, posing as Bengaluru Police. A new 'Card Deal' scam method was revealed, with Rs 42 lakh recovered.

The Andhra Pradesh Police has successfully dismantled an international cyber fraud syndicate, arresting 14 members connected to scam hubs in Cambodia. This operation was linked to deceiving a 75-year-old retired professor by extorting Rs 78.6 lakh using WhatsApp under the guise of Bengaluru Police officers wielding fabricated legal documents.

The elaborate fraud, labeled as a 'Card Deal', was uncovered after police traced monetary diversions to controlled accounts managed by Indian associates. Arrests took place across multiple districts, including Gannavaram and Vijayawada, where police seized Rs 42 lakh in cash, froze Rs 20 lakh in bank accounts, and captured communication devices loaded with international SIM cards, bank records, and digital evidence.

West Godavari district SP Adnan Nayeem Asmi highlighted the ongoing investigation to trace Rahate J Nayan, another key figure, presently at large. Police efforts also extend to unraveling the wider network involved in fake digital arrests and investment scams, with a case lodged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.

(With inputs from agencies.)