NewsFlash Daily™
27 May 
Delhi Police arrest three accused linked to an interstate cyber fraud network using fake KYC update tricks and mule bank accounts
New Delhi: Delhi Police have busted an interstate cyber fraud racket after a tea seller from South Patel Nagar was allegedly cheated of Rs 90,000 in the name of updating KYC details on a digital payment application. Three accused have been arrested from Haryana and Himachal Pradesh during a multi-state operation, police officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The shocking fraud case once again highlights the growing threat of cyber criminals targeting small business owners and local shopkeepers using fake Know Your Customer (KYC) verification schemes.
According to investigators, one of the accused allegedly visited the tea seller’s shop posing as an employee of a leading digital payment company. The fraudster reportedly convinced the victim that there were issues with the payment app settings and claimed that the KYC process needed immediate updating.
Fake Digital Payment Executive Dupes Delhi Tea Seller
Police said the accused gained the tea seller’s confidence by pretending to help him fix technical issues in the mobile payment application. After getting temporary access to the victim’s mobile phone, the accused allegedly transferred Rs 90,000 directly from the victim’s bank account before fleeing from the location.
The victim later realised that money had been fraudulently withdrawn from his account and approached the police on May 15.
Based on the complaint, Delhi Police registered a cyber fraud case and launched a detailed investigation.
Delhi Police Bust Interstate Cyber Fraud Network
During the probe, investigators tracked the accused through local intelligence inputs and digital transaction trails. Police teams subsequently conducted raids in Panchkula in Haryana and Zirakpur in Punjab before arresting three suspects.
The arrested accused have been identified as Vishesh Singh and Sachin Maurya (22), both residents of Panchkula, along with Ashish Sharma (27) from Una district in Himachal Pradesh.
Officials said mobile phones, banking documents, and other materials allegedly used in cyber fraud operations were seized during the raids.
Cyber Crime Syndicate Under Scanner
Police officials revealed that the arrested men were not operating independently. Preliminary investigation suggests they were acting as intermediaries for a larger interstate cyber crime syndicate involved in supplying fake or rented bank accounts, SIM cards, and ATM cards commonly known as mule accounts.
Investigators believe these illegal banking channels were being used by organised cyber criminals across multiple states to transfer and withdraw fraudulent money without detection.
The police are now probing financial transaction records and digital evidence to identify additional gang members linked to the network.
“The accused were part of a broader cyber fraud ecosystem supplying mule bank accounts and SIM cards to organised cyber criminals,” police officials said during the investigation.
Authorities have advised citizens, traders and small business owners not to hand over mobile phones, OTPs or banking access to unknown persons claiming to be KYC agents or digital payment representatives.
The case has intensified concerns over the rapid rise of cyber financial fraud targeting ordinary citizens across India.
