Mumbai: The Bandra police have arrested two individuals from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly being involved in loan scams. The accused obtained personal details of victims through online links, morphed the victims’ pictures, and subsequently blackmailed them for money.
The accused were arrested in Bulandshahr on December 20. The accused have been identified as Gulshankumar Singh, 24, and Anujkumar Nankishor, 19, both residents of Rootbangar in Uttar Pradesh.
Explaining the modus operandi, police revealed that the gang sent links to individuals seeking loans online. The targets were instructed to fill in their personal details and upload documents through their mobile phones.
Once the link was clicked and the details were submitted, the accused gained access to the contacts and images stored on the victims’ phones. The images were then morphed, and the victims were threatened with the viral of the altered photos to their contacts if they failed to pay.
Whether or not the target repaid the loan, they were blackmailed using the morphed photos. In the latest case, a 39-year-old man victim from Bandra West was extorted for Rs.9,900, and their photo was morphed by the accused.
A police officer stated, “During the investigation, we found an international connection as the IP links were traced to foreign countries. Anuj Kumar hired around 15 youngsters and opened bank accounts in their names. Through these accounts, he collected fraudulent money and then sent the money abroad to his associates via Bitcoin.”
Debit cards and mobile phones were recovered from the accused. A case has been registered against him under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.
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