The Awadhpuri police have arrested five individuals involved in a major cyber fraud, recovering goods worth ?2.5 crore. The accused exploited Zoom Car’s online application to deceive customers across major cities, including Delhi and Mumbai.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Yash Saluja (27), Anshul Priyansh Singh (28), Mayank Thakur (23), Avinash Pandey (28), and Sahajpreet Singh (23). They hail from various locations, including Bhopal, Jhansi, Chhindwara, Chhatarpur, and Punjab.
The scam involved the fraudulent use of the Zoom Car platform. The accused would download images of luxury cars from the internet and create fake listings on the platform. Once customers booked the cars and made advance payments, Zoom Car would transfer 60% of the total amount to the accused’s bank accounts. However, when customers arrived to pick up their vehicles, the fraudsters would switch off their phones, leaving the victims stranded.
Upon receiving multiple complaints, Zoom Car would block the fraudulent accounts. However, the scammers would continue their activities by creating new identities, using fake SIM cards and bank accounts to evade detection.
The breakthrough came when the police received a tip-off about a group of young men in Regal Town, Awadhpuri, frequently seen driving expensive cars. Acting on the information, the police raided their residence and arrested all five suspects.
During the operation, law enforcement recovered a significant amount of stolen assets, including two BMW cars, one XUV 500, 48 mobile phones and tablets, 37 ATM cards, eight bank passbooks, 13 cheque books, 92 SIM cards, and a note-counting machine. The total value of the seized items amounted to Rs 2.5 crore.
The police have urged the public to remain cautious while making online transactions and to verify car rental listings on platforms like Zoom Car before making any payments. Authorities are further investigating whether the accused were part of a larger cybercrime network.
This arrest marks a significant success in tackling digital fraud and highlights the growing need for vigilance against cyber scams in the online rental and financial transaction space.