International cybercrime network spread across 26 states busted, two arrested in west bengal

New Delhi, August 19: The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch, in coordination with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), has busted an international cybercrime network operating across 26 Indian states. Police said the network had a multi-country digital infrastructure with links to China and Pakistan.

 

 

Two men from North 24 Parganas in West Bengal have been arrested for allegedly supplying fraudulently obtained one-time passwords (OTPs) that were used to create fake accounts and facilitate cyber fraud.

 

 

The investigation began after the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch identified 251 complaints registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP).

 

The cases included online financial fraud, social media-related crimes, hacking and offences involving sexually explicit material. Three complaints were specifically linked to the ‘Boss Scam’, a growing form of cyber fraud in which criminals impersonate senior company officials, government authorities or RBI officials.

 

Fraudsters allegedly send malicious ZIP files through WhatsApp or email. Once opened, the files can allow criminals to compromise WhatsApp accounts and impersonate company executives before pressuring finance teams to transfer money.

 

 

 

Technical and network analysis conducted by the I4C and Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch indicated that the malware used in the operation was suspected to have been developed by cybercriminals associated with China.

 

Police said the malware was reportedly used to target Indians through a call centre operating from Islamabad, Pakistan. Investigators also found the use of a China-based VPN service to access bank accounts involved in the alleged fraud.

 

According to police, the network appeared to rely on cyber infrastructure spread across China, India, Pakistan and Hong Kong to conceal the identities and locations of those involved.

 

Authorities said the coordinated operation helped secure more than 10,000 infected devices, potentially preventing losses worth crores of rupees. Malware identified through the Sahyog Portal is also being regularly blocked.

  

 

 

The arrested accused were allegedly responsible for providing Indian mobile numbers and OTPs required to operate fake online accounts.

 

One of the accused, Imran Ali Piyada, worked as a telecom sales agent and allegedly used customers’ biometric details to activate dummy SIM cards without their knowledge. These SIMs were then used to generate OTPs for fake WhatsApp, shopping and gaming accounts.

 

Police said Piyada allegedly sold around 21,000 e-commerce OTPs over five years at Rs 100 each, earning more than Rs 21 lakh. He also allegedly supplied around 900 WhatsApp activation OTPs at Rs 250 each.

 

The second accused, Injammul, allegedly coordinated directly with overseas cybercriminals.