Hyderabad’s Cyber Crime Police have successfully apprehended three individuals accused of orchestrating a sophisticated scam that left a 68-year-old man poorer by ₹1.95 lakh. The unfortunate incident began with the theft of the senior citizen’s mobile phone.
The alleged culprits have been identified as Mohammed Moin Udddin (31), Mohammed Syed Salman, also known as Sultan (21), and Mohammed Hussain (32).
According to reports from the Cyber Crime wing, the victim’s phone was snatched on September 17 while he was commuting in a shared auto-rickshaw from Uppal to Tarnaka. It was only days later that he discovered a series of unauthorized transactions, totaling a staggering ₹1.95 lakh, had been made from his bank account, prompting him to file a police complaint.
Investigators quickly pieced together the sequence of events. Moin Udddin, who was driving the auto, allegedly distracted the victim by asking him to complete a UPI transfer. While the senior citizen unlocked his phone, Salman covertly stole it. The duo then swiftly initiated numerous fraudulent transactions at various petrol pumps and retail outlets, utilizing QR codes to drain the victim’s funds.
Later, the pair enlisted Hussain, who facilitated the transfer of ₹90,000 into gaming platform accounts and subsequently withdrew the money through his personal bank account. The ill-gotten gains were then divided among the three accused.
Police have since recovered three mobile phones from the arrested individuals, who are now facing charges related to the cyber fraud.
Authorities are urging all citizens to exercise extreme caution and never disclose their UPI PINs, OTPs, or any passwords. In the event of suspicious activity or any cybercrime, prompt reporting is crucial. Victims are encouraged to contact the helpline 1930 or visit the official cybercrime.gov.in portal immediately.