A major cyber fraud operation targeting property owners across the country has been dismantled in the industrial hub of Durgapur, West Bengal. Operating out of a rented accommodation in the Benachity neighbourhood, the gang lured unsuspecting individuals with fraudulent promises of installing commercial mobile network towers on their premises. Following specific intelligence, law enforcement personnel raided the location and apprehended seven suspects, among whom are three young women. Initial findings indicate that the illicit setup was being orchestrated by individuals hailing from Bihar, who recruited local youth to expand their operations.
Fake Call Centre Run From Rented Residential Premises
Investigators revealed that the syndicate had established an unauthorized workspace inside a rented house situated in Benachity. From this base, members reached out to landowners and homeowners residing in diverse parts of the country. The callers posed as representatives of established telecommunications providers, offering lucrative contracts to set up mobile network towers on vacant plots or rooftops. To hook targets, the fraudsters promised substantial recurring monthly rental income alongside substantial upfront advance deposits, making the offer appear exceptionally profitable.
Modus Operandi: Feigning Formalities to Harvest Banking OTPs
Once an owner showed interest in the offer, the operators initiated a deceptive onboarding protocol. Victims were told that file registrations, administrative verifications, and mandatory government clearances required routine paperwork and minor service charges. Under various pretexts related to these processing stages, the callers persuaded targets to share the one-time passwords received on their registered mobile handsets. The moment an OTP was disclosed, the syndicate used the authentication code to execute unauthorized transactions, siphoning off the balances from the victims' bank accounts. Young men and women from several districts across West Bengal were engaged to make these solicitation calls.
Seizure of Computing Hardware, Dummy IDs, and Telephony Equipment
Acting on actionable intelligence, a coordinated team comprising personnel from Durgapur police station, the Cyber department of the state police, and the local A-Zone outpost conducted a targeted raid on the Benachity house. During the search, officers recovered a significant volume of electronic gadgets and incriminating materials, including laptops, cellular phones, fixed-line LAN phones, numerous active SIM cards, and counterfeit identity cards. Authorities are currently interrogating all seven detained individuals to trace financial flows, identify additional confederates in other states, and determine the exact number of victims ensnared by this racket.
