Buxar Police have carried out a major operation against organised cybercrime by dismantling a structured inter state cyber fraud network operating from a rented house in Bihar. Eighteen accused have been arrested. Officials described the action as one of the biggest cyber enforcement operations in the region in recent years.
Acting on reliable information, teams from the Nagar Police Station and the Cyber Cell raided a secret hideout behind an ICICI Bank building on PP Road. What seemed to be an ordinary house turned into a crime scene filled with digital evidence.
Initial findings show that the group used Bihar as a low risk base while targeting victims across India. They allegedly carried out fake digital banking support scams, UPI and OTP fraud and illegal online betting activities.
Officials said the setup functioned like a fake call centre. Fraudsters pretended to be bank staff, representatives of digital wallet or payment apps, executives from gaming or betting platforms and customer support agents. They tricked victims into sharing their OTPs, UPI PINs and banking details by claiming to update KYC information or offering reward points, cashback or account verification.
The raid led to the seizure of sixty four mobile phones, five laptops, twenty five SIM cards, eighty two ATM cards, nine bank passbooks, thirteen registers filled with victims details, two Wi Fi routers and other devices. The registers contain hundreds of phone numbers and bank account details, showing that many more victims may be affected.
The arrested individuals are from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Many are repeat offenders in cyber fraud cases. Officials believe the arrests may uncover links to fund suppliers, SIM providers and money mules active across states.
A senior investigator said, “This is a well oiled network. The accused used Bihar as their safe base while targeting victims nationwide.” Police have not released full identities pending verification and joint investigations with other state agencies.
The operation was led by the DySP and the Cyber Police Station in charge. It was based on mobile location tracing, analysis of suspicious transaction trails, interception of coordinated calls and support from cyber forensic intelligence. The raid was executed as a surprise strike to prevent destruction of evidence.
The Buxar Superintendent of Police said, “We have dismantled a significant cyber crime module today. Detailed forensic analysis will uncover the full extent of their reach and past crimes. More arrests could follow soon.”
The gang used a clear pattern. They created fear by saying, “Your bank account may be blocked.” They sent harmful links to gain access to phones. They persuaded victims to share OTPs and UPI PINs. They withdrew money instantly through online payment gateways and moved it through several mule accounts to avoid detection.
Digital evidence from the raid is now being examined to map connections across states, identify offshore betting apps and servers, track money movement and link the network to existing complaints across India. Authorities expect more victims to come forward.
Never click unknown links. Do not share OTP or UPI PIN at any time. Banks and the Reserve Bank of India never ask for confidential details. Report suspicious cyber activity to the National Helpline at 1930.
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