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Bhubaneswar cyber police arrested a fraudster on Sunday, who is accused of duping people of over Rs 12 lakh through a fake investment scheme. Operating via WhatsApp groups, the accused promised high returns but disappeared after collecting money from victims across multiple states.
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Umashankar was getting 2% commission
According to official sources, in a major cybercrime breakthrough, the cyber police arrested the fraudster for allegedly deceiving individuals in an investment scam involving more than Rs 12 lakh. The accused has been identified as Umashankar Dixit from Bhadrak district.
The accused trickster uses WhatsApp groups to share attractive investment offers to people, promising them lucrative returns. Many individuals, enticed by these promises, transferred funds to his bank account. However, once the payments were made, the accused would stop responding, effectively vanishing from contact.
The scam triggered probes in eight states, where police attempted to block the bank accounts of the accused. During the arrest, police seized several items from Umashankar’s possession, including bank passbooks, cheque books, mobile phones, and debit cards.
Police also discovered that Umashankar was getting a two percent commission through his current account given for use to another cyber fraudster involved in the racket. Police are now interrogating him further to identify others involved in the syndicate.
Efforts are underway to track down and arrest additional members of the scam network. Bhubaneswar cyber police have urged the public to remain cautious and avoid investment schemes circulated through unsecured digital platforms.
“He (accused Umashankar) had opened a current account in the name of a fake company. He used to implement the cyber fraud through this current account. He had allowed another cybercriminal to use his bank account. The arrested man was getting two percent commission,” Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena said in a presser.
