How Cyber Frauds Are Parking Illicit Cash

Money siphoned off from several bizmen in Delhi going to poor people’s accounts controlled by online crooks across states

- Ajay Kumar

When a South Delhi businessman recently filed a complaint that he had been duped of Rs 9 lakh by cybercriminals, cops thought they had one more routine case to crack.

But they were in for a surprise. Investigation revealed that the money siphoned off through a Unified Payments Interface (UPI) link was credited into four Jan Dhan accounts opened in the names of labourers in Jharkhand’s Jamtara district. It was later withdrawn using duplicate thumb impressions.

The police then contacted the account holders. One of them disclosed that some people, who claimed to be bank officials, had approached him and taken copies of documents like Aadhaar, ration and BPL cards, besides his thumb impression. They said this was to open his account under Jan Dhan scheme, launched in 2014 to bring about financial inclusion by providing banking services to all households in the country.

Later, the labourer received a bank passbook. “During verification, we found that all information was correct but the bank name and the account number were different,” a senior cop said.

This is not a one-off case. Money siphoned off from several businessmen in Delhi through banking and mobile wallet frauds is going to poor people’s accounts controlled by online crooks across states through a fast-widening network.

In another such case, a resident of South Delhi’s Hauz Khas had lost Rs 3.7 lakh to a cyber fraud. The money was later traced to bank accounts in far-flung areas.

Here’s how it is happening. Fraudsters approach the poor and illiterate in Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and northeastern states for opening Jan Dhan accounts that enable people to receive government scheme benefits.