CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Police’s Cybercrime wing arrested four men, including a duo working directly for a Cambodian handler, for cheating a mill owner from Theni of Rs 88.6 lakh by a cryptocurrency scam. The fraudsters got into touch with the victim through a fake matrimony profile, the police said.
As many as 379 complaints from Tamil Nadu were reported in the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) related to cyber fraudsters exploiting victims after gaining trust through matrimony websites in the last 15 months, according to Tamil Nadu Police, which has warned the public to be wary of fraudsters.
The cybercrime headquarters pointed out the latest modus operandi of cyber fraudsters who create fake profiles on matrimonial websites, build trust with victims by posing as potential suitors, and then propose high-return investment opportunities, often involving real estate, stocks, forex trading or cryptocurrency trading.
In the Theni case, the victim who oversees his father’s mill in Theni had registered on Sangam, a matrimonial app, through which he received a profile match from an ID named Shree Harini. After initial conversations through the app, the victim contacted ‘Shree Harini’ via WhatsApp.
“The suspect built a relationship and after gaining his trust and attention, shared alleged profits she had earned through crypto trading. At one point, she claimed that her father had suffered losses in the Indian stock market and introduced the concept of crypto trading. She then persuaded the victim to invest in crypto trading. Initially, the victim refused, but the suspect manipulated him and ultimately influenced him to invest Rs. 88.6 lakh,” according to the cybercrime headquarters.
The Theni Police had registered an FIR based on the victim’s complaint. During investigations, it was revealed that the victim had transferred the total amount in 25 installments to two City Union Bank (CUB) accounts.
The special team went down a digital trail and found that the bank accounts were in the name of two women who are daily wage labourers and were paid a commission of Rs 2,000 by one of the accused, C Nandagopal (30) of Erode, for opening the bank accounts.
Nandagopal had handed over the accounts to R Yuvarajan (33) of Erode and S Padmanaban (32) of Coimbatore, who had direct contact with the Cambodian handler accused via Telegram, police investigations revealed. Police also arrested another person, S Siva (30) of Erode, who was working under them.
The police seized Rs 3.9 lakh in cash, six mobile phones, 29 debit cards, 18 chequebooks, 12 bank passbooks, and 46 SIM cards from the arrested persons.
‘Careful who you choose’
According to TN Police, in just 15 months, 379 complaints related to online matrimony scams were recorded from TN
Keep away from profiles that lack genuine personal details, are overly polished and if the person’s identity cannot be verified through video chats or in-person meet
Do not trust enticing information offering high profit for investment, and if they guarantee exorbitant profits, the chances of fraud are high
The public is advised against lending their bank accounts or cryptocurrency wallets, as such accounts can be misused for financial fraud
If someone is found to be involved in such activities, appropriate action will be taken against them
If you have fallen victim to such scams, please dial the Helpline number 1930 or register your complaint at www.cybercrime.gov.in
