The Cyber Police Station of New Delhi District has busted a fake export consultancy racket operating under the guise of a company called India2Exports.com, apprehending 18 individuals allegedly involved in cheating exporters across the country, officials said on Thursday.
According to police, the syndicate lured aspiring exporters by promising assistance in securing overseas buyers and facilitating export-related certifications. The operation was uncovered during an analysis of cyber fraud complaints received through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma, the victims were initially persuaded to pay a registration or token fee of Rs 5,000. They were later induced to make additional payments of Rs 19,780 for export service packages and Rs 41,300 towards purported Global GAP/Trust Certification and other export formalities.
To gain the confidence of victims, the accused allegedly used international WhatsApp numbers and impersonated foreign buyers from different countries. Exporters were shown fabricated communications and assured that export orders were being processed. However, after receiving payments, the accused either stopped responding or avoided further communication, causing financial losses to the complainants, the DCP mentioned.
Based on technical analysis, digital evidence and sustained investigation, a police team conducted a raid at the premises where a fake call centre was found operating. During the operation, officers apprehended the alleged mastermind and several telecallers involved in the fraud, Sharma added.
Police identified the mastermind as Pradeep Kumar, a resident of Uttam Nagar. Another accused, Sammi Kumar Giri, was bound down under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Sixteen telecallers, including 14 women and two men, were also bound down under the same provision.
During the raid, the police recovered 20 mobile phones, 35 SIM cards, six laptops, nine CPUs and one debit card. The seized electronic devices and digital evidence are being examined to identify additional victims, associates and linked cyber fraud cases.
So far, investigators have linked 19 cyber fraud complaints involving a total cheated amount of Rs 10.57 lakh to the activities of the syndicate. Efforts are underway to trace the proceeds of crime, identify other members of the network and ascertain the full extent of the fraud, the cop added.
