The cyber detection team in Mumbai on Monday arrested a 25-year-old man from Rajasthan’s Jaipur for his suspected involvement in orchestrating a widespread fraud scheme to dupe and cheat multiple individuals through the Telegram app.
The accused, identified as Dilkhush Mali, is a resident of Bhilwara in Rajasthan. He initially contacted the victim via the app and even text messages on some occasions. According to the police, he would even use WhatsApp to call and chat with the victims.
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A police team of API Prakash Patil (cyber detection officer), head constables Dhurgude and Pawar and PC Zagde were formed under senior inspector Dnyaneshwar Wagh, to arrest the accused.
THE SCAM
According to police, Mali employed a strategy that involved enticing victims with a seemingly legitimate “paid task” that allowed them to earn money.
This initial offer acted as a hook, drawing individuals into the fraudulent scheme. Once the victims successfully completed the task and received a credited amount in their accounts, they were encouraged to engage in further activities.
Over time, the tasks presented by Mali required victims to pay fees and a registration amount. Unaware of the impending deception, unsuspecting individuals complied with these requests, believing that they were necessary steps towards accessing the funds they had earned.
The accused employed various tactics to stall the victims, including claiming that additional payments were required to withdraw the remaining balance or providing excuses for delayed withdrawals.
As the scam progressed, one complainant alone ended up paying a staggering total of 4.35 lakhs. Upon the arrest of Mali, authorities discovered that he had received transactions worth 2.25 crores within a span of just three days.
POLICE ACTION
The police are currently investigating the source of such a substantial sum and aiming to identify the individuals who withdrew the funds.
It is suspected that the accused was primarily involved in administrative tasks and account management. Further inquiries are underway to trace the recipients of the money.
The accused has been booked under sections 419 (cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating) and sections of the Information Technology Act.
