Noida Cyber Crime Police have apprehended four individuals involved in a sophisticated tech support scam that targeted foreign nationals, highlighting the growing threat of international cyber fraud.
Key Points
- Noida Cyber Crime Police arrested four individuals for running a tech support scam targeting foreign nationals.
- The scammers posed as tech support agents, falsely claiming victims' computers were hacked to extort money.
- Accused used screen-sharing applications to access victims' devices and extract sensitive banking details.
- Victims were coerced into paying amounts ranging from USD 350 to USD 2,000, with payments collected via cryptocurrency.
- Laptops, mobile phones, and other electronic devices used in the fraud were recovered from the accused.
Noida Cyber Crime Police on Tuesday arrested four alleged cyber frauds in Sector 76 for duping foreign nationals on the pretext of providing "tech support", an officer said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crime) Shavya Goyal said the accused posed as technical support agents and threatened their targets with claims of hacking and data theft to extort money.
The police identified the four as Mohd Bilal, 26, Dev Kapahi, 25, and Kushagra Nimbekar, 24, all residents of Delhi, and Abhishek Mukheja, 27, a resident of Rajasthan's Alwar district.
Modus Operandi of the Tech Support Scam
"They ran paid advertisements on the internet and social media platforms under the guise of 'Tech Support', displaying toll-free numbers for foreign nationals to call," Goyal said.
She said that when people contacted them, the accused falsely claimed that their computers had been hacked and needed urgent technical intervention.
"The accused used screen-sharing applications to access the victims' devices. They then extracted sensitive banking details," she said.
In a novel move to intensify fear, the accused would deliberately turn the victims' computer screens black to simulate a hacking incident.
"They used this tactic to terrify the victims and gain their trust before checking the balance in their bank accounts," Goyal said.
Extortion and Cryptocurrency Payments
The officer said the accused extorted amounts ranging from USD 350 to USD 2,000 if the victim had limited funds. In cases involving higher balances, they escalated the matter to senior members of the racket connected through the same calling software.
"The money obtained through fraudulent means was collected via cryptocurrency and later distributed among the accused," the officer said.
Authorities recovered laptops, mobile phones and other electronic devices used in the fraud from their possession.
