The Gurgaon police have achieved a significant breakthrough in dismantling a sophisticated cyber fraud syndicate operating from Cambodia, with the recent arrest of a 24-year-old woman from Surat, Gujarat, at the Delhi airport. The accused, identified as Khushboo, is allegedly a key member of a ring involved in “digital arrest” scams.
The case stems from a complaint lodged on December 4, 2024, at the Cyber Crime (East) Police Station in Gurgaon. The complainant reported that their son received a call falsely linking his Aadhaar card to hawala transactions. When he denied the allegations, fraudsters posing as police, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Customs officers threatened him with fabricated charges and coerced him into transferring money under the guise of resolving the fictitious case. A fake CBI officer even engaged the victim in a video call, asserting a “digital arrest” to extort funds.
Investigations, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crime) Priyanshu Diwan and Inspector Amit Sharma, revealed that Khushboo was part of a Cambodia-based call center named “Mango Park” in Phnom Penh.Â
The syndicate functioned in three phases — first, the victims were threatened with allegations of their mobile numbers or Aadhaar cards being exploited; next, fraudsters pretended to be police officers to carry out a “digital arrest”; finally, they impersonated officials from Customs or the Income Tax Department to extract money via bank transfers.
Police investigations further uncovered that ₹39 lakh collected through this fraud was channeled through a series of bank accounts, which were allegedly sold multiple times among syndicate members, including Khushboo. She reportedly received a monthly salary of $700 for her role in intimidating victims.
Khushboo’s involvement traces back to her travel to Dubai in November 2023 for a job opportunity, followed by her relocation to Cambodia in August 2024 to work at the “Mango Park” call center. The call center, reportedly managed by individuals of Chinese origin, employed people from various countries, including India, to execute these scams. Authorities believe similar fraudulent call centers are rampant across Phnom Penh and other parts of Cambodia.
So far, 16 individuals, including Khushboo, have been arrested in connection with this widespread cyber fraud. Two mobile phones used in the commission of the crime were recovered from her possession, and further investigations are ongoing.
Also read:Â Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News LinkedIn Account | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Facebook | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Youtube | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Twitter |The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Whatsapp Channel | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Instagram
About us:
The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News is a premier platform dedicated to delivering latest news, updates, and insights from the tech industry. With its strong foundation of intellectual property and thought leadership, the platform is well-positioned to stay ahead of the curve and lead conversations about how technology shapes our world. From its early days as CIO News to its rebranding as The Mainstream on November 28, 2024, it has been expanding its global reach, targeting key markets in the Middle East & Africa, ASEAN, the USA, and the UK. The Mainstream is a vision to put technology at the center of every conversation, inspiring professionals and organizations to embrace the future of tech.
