A disturbing incident of cyber fraud has surfaced in Palia Pukhta village, located in Ujhani Kotwali, Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, where around 180 villagers unwittingly fell victim to a financial scam. A local cyber café proprietor is alleged to have illegally opened numerous bank accounts in their names, which were subsequently utilized for laundering significant amounts of money obtained through cyber criminal activities.
The fraudulent scheme was uncovered when the Cyber Police from Delhi sent legal notices to several villagers concerning suspicious transactions linked to their accounts. Alarmed and bewildered, the affected villagers sought assistance from senior police officials and ultimately lodged a complaint with Circle Officer (CO) Dataganj KK Tiwari, who has now initiated a investigation.
The complaint states that the café owner took advantage of the villagers’ trust by managing their KYC processes related to banking. Posing as a helper for digital services, he reportedly gathered Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, photographs, and other documents to open unauthorized accounts in private banks.
Unaware of the situation, the villagers later found that these accounts were being used for illegal transactions totaling lakhs of rupees. Although some villagers received notices from Delhi’s Cyber Crime Police weeks earlier, they dismissed them. However, as more individuals received legal warnings on Sunday, their concerns grew, leading them to check their bank accounts. To their dismay, they found transactions ranging from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh in multiple accounts, which sparked widespread alarm in the village.
One particularly shocking case involved Nizamuddin, a daily wage laborer from Palia Pukhta, who discovered an astonishing Rs 72 lakh credited to his account. Alarmed and scared, he and other affected villagers hurried to report the issue to local authorities.
The scam has left many illiterate and unsuspecting villagers anxious about potential legal repercussions, as the fraudulently transferred funds are being withdrawn from these accounts. Many fear being wrongfully implicated in the cybercrime case filed at Delhi’s Cyber Crime Police Station.
Delhi’s Cyber Crime Unit has formally opened a case and begun an investigation. Notices sent to residents indicate that their bank accounts were exploited in a large-scale cyber fraud scheme. The police have stated that no arrests will occur at this time, and individuals are requested to meet with authorities to clarify their roles in the situation.
CO Dataganj KK Tiwari confirmed that this issue is connected to a significant cyber fraud operation, where illicit funds were channeled through the accounts of unsuspecting individuals. Local officials have instructed the Cyber Crime Police to carry out a comprehensive investigation and pursue legal action against the café owner who is currently evading capture.
This event emphasizes the growing threat of cyber fraud in rural areas of India and highlights the urgent need for improved digital literacy, enhanced banking security, and increased awareness of financial scams.
Also read: 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
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.
