e-SIM fraud module busted, two arrested; 44 phones recovered
The Delhi Police has busted an interstate cyber-fraud module allegedly involved in e-SIM takeovers and arrested two key operatives from West Bengal, recovering 44 mobile phones, officers said on Thursday.
The accused, Ankit Das of Jamtara in Jharkhand, and his cousin Subal Das are allegedly linked to 124 complaints on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.
The case came to light after a Delhi resident reported unauthorised transfers of around Rs 40 lakh from his bank accounts following an alleged e-SIM takeover, police said.
According to the investigation, the accused allegedly posed as employees of telecom service providers and contacted potential victims on the pretext of upgrading or converting their physical SIM cards to e-SIMs.
"Once the victim's mobile number was activated on a device controlled by the accused, they gained access to OTPs and banking-related communications and transferred money to multiple mule accounts," a senior police officer said.
Ankit allegedly acted as the main technical operator, identifying victims, facilitating e-SIM activation and arranging the transfer of cheated funds, while Subal allegedly assisted in making calls and convincing victims during the fraudulent process, they said.
The accused allegedly contacted around 200 potential victims daily. They also used telecom service provider-branded clothing during video calls to make the impersonation appear genuine, the officer said.
A total of 44 mobile phones containing multiple physical SIMs and e-SIM profiles were recovered along with a telecom service provider-branded T-shirt and cap, he said.
Police said Ankit has previously been booked in a cybercrime case in Faridabad in 2021. Further investigation is underway to trace the money trail.
