Ranchi: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Jharkhand has arrested a man linked to a major cyber fraud case involving a loss of over Rs 14 lakh to the victim. The arrest follows a complaint filed on 1 August this year at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Ranchi.
According to the CID officials, the victim, a resident of Dhanbad, was deceived by a scam operating through the fraudulent trading website, www.clutchorder.com.
The suspect, using the Telegram ID “Anand,” lured the victim with promises of high investment returns. This manipulation led the victim to create an account on the bogus site and transfer funds to several bank accounts, falsely attributed to legitimate firms.
Investigators revealed that the scammer showcased fake profits on the website, which were ultimately unredeemable, culminating in a loss of Rs 14,15,407 for the victim, informed the CID official.
After thorough technical and financial investigations, authorities arrested 48-year-old Inderjeet Singh from Jamshedpur. Singh allegedly collaborated with associates to open bank accounts under fictitious business names to facilitate the illicit transfer of funds.
Outlining the Modus Operandi the CID detailed: Initial contact was made via Telegram, enticing the victim with investment opportunities. Later the victim was directed to create login credentials on the fraudulent website.
Funds were transferred to various bank accounts as instructed through Telegram; The website displayed illusory profits that could not be withdrawn.
Officials said that the investigation has uncovered potential ties to a larger criminal network. Notably, a bank account linked to Indusind Bank showed transactions totaling Rs 1.18 crore in just one day. This account has been connected to 27 complaints filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal from multiple states, including Haryana, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.
In response to this incident, the CID has issued public advisory urging citizens to: Never share personal financial information with unknown individuals without verification; Avoid investing in trading applications from unverified sources; Refrain from engaging with investment offers received through SMS, WhatsApp, or Telegram and Not transfer money to any bank account or UPI ID associated with unsolicited job offers.
“Report any cybercrime incidents to 1930 or visit cybercrime.gov.in,” it added
The CID continues its investigation, working to identify additional perpetrators and prevent further cyber fraud incidents.
