The Cyber cell of Odisha Crime Branch on Sunday arrested three persons, including the mastermind of a major gang that was selling pre-activated SIM cards used by fraudsters to commit cyber crimes.
Around 19641 pre-activated SIM cards, Rs 14 lakh cash, 48 mobile phones, laptop, xerox copies of several photo identity cards and other documents were seized during the raid in Dhenkanal. The accused have been identified as Sai Prakash Das, Avinash Nayak and Dushmanta Sahu of Nadiali village in Dhenkanal district.
Senior officials of Crime Branch said that Dushmanta is the mastermind and he used to receive pre-activated SIM cards from Das and Nayak.
Dushmanat had joined a group “Buyer Seller of OTP” through Facebook. The group used to receive pre-actiavated mobile numbers to open fake accounts/ wallets in several online shopping and gaming Apps.
The pre-activated SIM cards were used to open fake WhatsApp account by fraudsters. “The accused Dushmant received the pre-activated SIMs of different service providers like BSNL, JIO, Vodafone, Airtel from the two other accused. He then used to share those pre-activated SIM numbers among the group “Buyer Seller of OTP” group and received Rs. 400 per SIM and OTP,” said CB ADG, Sanjeeb Panda.
According to Panda, a detailed financial investigation will be conducted as it is suspected that the gang had link with cyber fraudsters in other parts of the country.