The Goa Police Crime Branch has successfully cracked a case of a sophisticated fake parcel delivery scam, leading to the arrest of one individual from Odisha. The arrest was made on Tuesday following a detailed investigation triggered by a complaint from a resident of Goa Velha.
The Modus Operandi of the Scam
The accused allegedly cheated the complainant by sending a deceptive text message. This message falsely claimed that a parcel delivery was being reattempted and demanded a payment of Rs 85,000 to facilitate the release. The victim, believing the message to be genuine from a courier service, fell prey to the fraud.
Cross-State Investigation and Arrest
Acting swiftly on the complaint, the Crime Branch registered an FIR and launched a probe. A team led by Police Inspector Mahesh Gadekar traveled to Odisha to track down the culprit. Their efforts led to the apprehension of the accused, identified as 38-year-old Susanta Hrusikesh Bhue, a native of Odisha.
Senior Police official Rahul Gupta provided details of the operation, confirming the arrest and the subsequent legal steps. The accused was remanded to four days of police custody for further interrogation and investigation into the wider network of the scam.
Wide-Reaching Phishing Network Uncovered
Forensic analysis of the arrested individual's mobile phone revealed the extensive nature of his activities. He utilized a bulk SMS facility to send phishing links to potential victims across the country. The investigation uncovered that his phone contained templates for SMS messages employing various other fraudulent schemes beyond the parcel scam.
These included messages designed for honey trapping, offering fake credit card reward points, promising gaming platform payouts, and advertising bogus part-time job opportunities. This discovery points to a multi-pronged approach to cyber fraud targeting unsuspecting individuals.
This arrest highlights the ongoing challenges posed by interstate cybercrime and the proactive measures being taken by law enforcement. The Goa Police's swift action in this case serves as a warning to fraudsters and a reminder for the public to exercise extreme caution with unsolicited messages requesting payments or personal information.
