The Cyber Crime Police Station in Hisar has successfully dismantled an alleged online fraud network operating from Bahbalpur village, leading to the arrest of two individuals accused of cheating people through deceptive Instagram advertisements. The accused, identified as Saurabh and Lucky, both residents of Bahbalpur, were taken into custody for luring victims with offers of expensive iPhones at extraordinarily low prices.
Modus Operandi of the Fraudsters
According to the police, the accused created fake Instagram profiles and posted advertisements promoting iPhones for as little as Rs 2,500. They would attract potential buyers and initially demand a booking amount of Rs 100. Subsequently, they would extract additional sums from victims under the pretext of delivery charges and other fees, directing the payments to multiple bank accounts. However, no mobile phones were ever dispatched to the customers.
Police Raid and Seizures
Acting on a tip-off received on May 13, a police team led by ASP Mayank Mudgil conducted a raid in Bahbalpur village. The officers found both accused engaged in suspicious online activities using mobile phones and laptops. During the search, the police recovered several mobile phones, iPhones, laptops, bank passbooks from different banks, ATM cards, scanners, electronic devices, and cash amounting to Rs 10,040.
Confession and Further Investigation
During questioning, the accused reportedly confessed that they never intended to deliver any actual iPhones and only aimed to cheat people for monetary gain. They also admitted to creating new fake Instagram IDs whenever their old accounts were blocked following complaints. To avoid detection, they used SIM cards obtained in the names of other persons. The accused were produced before a local court, which remanded them to one-day police custody for further interrogation. Police officials stated that the investigation is ongoing to identify more victims and possible links to a larger cyber fraud network.
