Posing as Paytm officials, fraudsters swindle shopkeepers; Cyber ​​Police apprehend 5 suspects

New Delhi: No uniform, but armed with the perceived credibility of the Paytm brand and a promise of assistance—this is the ruse used by a gang of cyber fraudsters to steal the hard-earned money of small shopkeepers and street vendors. The Shahdara Cyber ​​Police have busted this gang, arresting five individuals who posed as Paytm officials to carry out their scams. The police have successfully resolved a case involving cyber fraud of Rs 95,000.

Shahdara District DCP Rajendra Prasad Meena stated that the case (FIR No. 55/26) was registered following a complaint by a vegetable vendor named Ramavatar. He reported that on October 20, two young men arrived, claiming to be Paytm employees. Under the guise of addressing a KYC-related issue and updating his QR code 'soundbox', they took his mobile phone. Subsequently, they executed two unauthorised transactions—one for Rs 50,000 and another for Rs 45,000—syphoning off a total of Rs 95,000.

Targeted 50–60 individuals

Investigations suggest that the accused may have defrauded approximately 50–60 people using this same modus operandi. Their bank accounts have been linked to nearly 20 cybercrime complaints and cases across the country. The stolen funds were routed through various bank accounts before being withdrawn via ATMs. The arrested individuals have been identified as Junaid (23), Anas (19), Mohit (24), Rohit (19), and Sumit Kumar (19). Junaid was previously associated with Paytm; a company identification card was even recovered from his mobile phone. He is alleged to be the primary coordinator of the gang.

Six Mobile Phones and Seven SIM Cards Recovered

The police have recovered six mobile phones, seven SIM cards, four ATM cards, and three cash withdrawal slips. This operation was carried out by a team comprising ASI Rajdeep and Head Constables Javed, Deepak, and Narendra, under the supervision of Inspector Shweta Sharma. The action was conducted under the leadership of SHO Vijay Kumar, with oversight from ACP (Operations) Awadhesh Kumar and the overall supervision of DCP (Shahdara) Rajendra Prasad Meena. The police are now investigating to identify other victims and uncover the entire financial network involved. The DCP has cautioned the public against handing over their mobile phones to strangers. In the event of falling victim to cyber fraud, individuals should immediately lodge a complaint by calling the helpline number 1930.