Synopsis- India’s ED busted a ₹260 crore scam where fraudsters posed as police and tech giants, stealing money via threats and crypto conversion, targeting global victims.
On August 6, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided 11 places in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, and Dehradun. These raids focused on a huge online cheating case. In this scam, a group of people pretended to be helpers from Microsoft and Amazon. They tricked people out of almost Rs 260 crore. Many Indians and people from other countries lost their money. The criminals scared victims by threatening to arrest them. The police are still looking for more evidence and money.
The investigation started with complaints from both the CBI and Delhi Police. The fraudsters acted like police officers or tech help staff. They called victims and frightened them with fake threats.
Sometimes, they said the person had done something wrong. Other times, they tricked people by claiming their computers had problems. They got access to people’s computers or banking details. Then, they shifted the money from bank accounts to their own wallets. This made the fraud more serious and hard to stop.
After stealing money, the scammers did not keep it in their names. They converted the stolen rupees into cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin. The money was then moved many times to different digital wallets. Later, it was changed again into USDT, a type of digital dollar. Police say the money was sent through secret networks, called hawala, and ended up with people in the UAE. This moving and changing of money made it tough for police to find. Still, the authorities have tracked nearly all of the Rs 260 crore.
Other big scams are being investigated. In Bengaluru, police arrested a 28-year-old man after a huge loss at a crypto trading company. The scammer got into the firm’s digital wallet and moved Rs 384 crore worth of cryptocurrency to hidden accounts. Police are questioning an employee for details.
In another case, ED seized assets worth Rs 42.8 crore from Chirag Tomar, who was held in the US. Tomar managed a $20 million online fraud by copying the Coinbase website. He spent the stolen money in India and abroad. Police say he used false websites and digital coins to hide the crime.
These stories show that online fraud is growing fast. The tricks are getting harder to spot and stop. Police are working hard to catch the fraudsters and follow the stolen money. Everyone should be careful. Never trust calls or emails from people who say they are police or tech support without checking first. Do not share personal or bank information easily.
Digital crimes can happen to anyone. Being careful and reporting odd messages quickly are the best ways to stay safe. The authorities, using new tools and working with other countries, are fighting hard to stop these cybercriminals.
Written By Fazal Ul Vahab C H
