5 days ago
Cyber fraud racket with Dubai links busted in Lucknow; 15 arrested for scamming over 1,000 people via Telegram, WhatsApp and Reddy Anna app
In a major cybercrime crackdown, Lucknow police have busted a multi-layered fraudulent call centre involved in a wide network of digital scams, allegedly controlled by a kingpin operating from Dubai.
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The racket, run from a residential tower in Vrindavan Yojna, targeted over 1,000 victims across India and is estimated to have defrauded several crores through WhatsApp, Telegram, and betting apps like Reddy Anna, according to TOI report.
Acting on a tip-off, the Crime Unit of Lucknow Police conducted a coordinated raid and arrested 15 accused. The operation revealed the call centre was functioning as a front-end terminal for outreach and coordination, while the core planning and money movement were managed remotely through VoIP, virtual numbers, and encrypted messaging platforms.
Additional DCP (Crime) Vasanth Kumar, who led the investigation, told TOI that the accused had confessed to their roles in executing cyber fraud and online gambling scams. 'They admitted they destroyed devices after use and frequently changed locations to avoid detection. The Cyber Crime Portal has confirmed 69 complaints linked to the seized phones, and another 157 complaints linked to recovered passbooks and cheque books,' he said.
Kumar explained that victims were first lured via WhatsApp with offers of easy online income — such as paid reviews, video likes, and commission-based tasks. 'Once they showed interest, they were moved to Telegram groups or bots, where automation and end-to-end encryption protected the scammers' identities,' he added.
In the next phase of the scam, victims were given small fake wins to build trust. Later, they were encouraged to make larger deposits for higher returns — often via betting apps like Reddy Anna.
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'Once substantial funds were received, the scammers either blocked user accounts or manipulated balances to show losses. The money was then diverted into mule accounts and crypto wallets, making it nearly untraceable,' Kumar said.
The alleged mastermind, identified as Vishal Yadav alias Ganni alias Prince, is suspected to have operated the scam from Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Dubai, constantly shifting bases to evade law enforcement.
Officials believe the operation had previously been run from abroad but was relocated to Lucknow just a month ago.
Kumar confirmed the use of Layered financial channels, including cryptocurrency and illegal betting platforms, to launder the stolen funds. 'They used VoIP services and virtual numbers to disguise locations and encrypted channels to manage communications,' he said.
