Cyberabad Police Arrest 13-Member Gang Involved in Rs4 crore UPI Fraud

Hyderabad: The Shamshabad CCS Police, with the help of KPHB Police, Madhapur and Narsingi police from Cyberabad Commissionerate, apprehended a 13-member gang from Rajasthan on September 8, 2024. The gang was involved in a series of high-tech UPI frauds and cheating schemes, defrauding Messrs Bajaj Electronics of approximately Rs4 crore. The police seized Rs1.72 lakh in cash and electronic goods worth Rs50 lakh.

Several fraud and cheating cases were reported in various police stations under the Cyberabad, Hyderabad, and Rachakonda Commissionerates as well as in other metropolitan cities across Telangana State, all involving Bajaj Electronics and totalling losses exceeding Rs4 crore.

Upon receiving information from Bajaj Electronics, the Shamshabad CCS Police and KPHB Police, Madhapur and Narsingi police plunged in action. They discovered that individuals from Rajasthan had visited showrooms and purchased expensive electronics. The gang’s method involved sharing the showroom’s UPI scanner with an accomplice in Rajasthan, who would transfer the money to the showroom. After taking delivery of the goods, the accomplice would file a chargeback complaint with the bank, causing the transaction to reverse and the money to return to the gang’s account.

The gang, comprising over 13 members aged between 20 and 25 years from Rajasthan, operated in groups. Some members stayed in Hyderabad, while their associates remained in Rajasthan. Members in Hyderabad would visit Bajaj Electronics showrooms to purchase high-value electronic items and send the showroom’s QR code to their associates in Rajasthan, who would transfer the money through UPI. After receiving the items, they would sell them and split the profits. The associate, who transferred the money would later file a fraudulent complaint requesting a chargeback, resulting in a refund of the amount.

The arrested gang members include Som Raj, Sunil, LacRam, Sharwan, Somraj, Shivlal, Ramesh, Shrawan, Pappu Ram, Shravan, Rakesh, Ramesh, Ashok Kumar. Based on their confessions, the police seized Rs1.62 lakh in cash and electronic goods worth Rs50 lakh, which were part of the fraud.

Cases registered against the gang are under the jurisdiction of the following police stations: ITA of KPHB PS; ITA of Madapur PS; ITA of Narsingi PS; RGIA PS; ITA of Madhuranagar PS; ITA of Jedcherla PS; and Cyber Crime PS, RCK.

All the accused have been arrested and are being produced before the court for judicial remand. The Shamshabad CCS team, led by M Pavan (Inspector of Police), DI KPHB, DI Narsingi, and DI Madapur, under the guidance of ACP CCS Shashank Reddy and Kalinga Rao, and the supervision of DCP Crimes K Narsimha, with direction from Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad, Avinash Mohanty, apprehended the accused and recovered the stolen property. The team has been appreciated and suitably rewarded for their commendable work, said K Narsimha, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad.