Home / Crime and Justice / Intl. Fraud Ring Busted: SIM Box Scams Exposed
Intl. Fraud Ring Busted: SIM Box Scams Exposed
10 Apr
Summary
- Two arrested for operating international SIM box fraud syndicate.
- Fraudsters impersonated police and customs to trick victims.
- The syndicate used SIM boxes to mask foreign calls as local.
In a significant cybercrime operation, Delhi Police's IFSO unit has apprehended two individuals involved in an international SIM box fraud syndicate. This syndicate, with connections to Cambodia and Southeast Asia, allegedly perpetrated scams by impersonating officials from agencies such as the police, CBI, and Customs. Victims were ensnared in "digital arrest" schemes or lured into fraudulent investment opportunities.
The syndicate's modus operandi involved using an illegal SIM box setup to route international VoIP calls into Indian mobile networks. This technique allowed foreign fraudsters to disguise their calls as originating from local numbers, lending an air of legitimacy to their scams. The arrested individuals, Vaibhav Raj and Anil Kumar, facilitated this racket by managing mule bank accounts, coordinating logistics, and enabling remote access for overseas operators.
During raids, authorities seized a 32-slot active SIM box, over 350 SIM cards, multiple mobile phones, a laptop, internet equipment, and bank documents. The investigation revealed that the arrested duo received instructions from handlers in Mumbai and potentially abroad, indicating a broader transnational cybercrime network. Three cases have already been linked to a bank account used in the fraud, and efforts are underway to trace the money trail and identify further accomplices.
