Bhubaneswar: The Cyber Crime Unit of Odisha Crime Branch today arrested three persons in a case of cyber fraud of Crypto Investment. They were running Fintech Companies as and became a part of cyber frauds by facilitating in the quick transfer of money to the virtual accounts of cyber criminals.
The arrested persons Sumit Kumar Das and Amiya Ranjan Satpathy of Bargarh and Sidharth Satpathy of Bhillai, Chhattisgarh identified themselves as Directors of two Fintech companies. Sumit Kumar Das and Amiya Ranjan Satpathy were directors of a Fintech Company PayInc and Sidharth Satpathy was the director of Fynpe.
A victim had reported on 05.05.2023 that he had received a WhatsApp call from a stranger lady suggesting to subscribe a YouTube channel link for earning money. After that she gave him a Telegram contact to chat. Then the victim frequently received messages through Telegram App enticing to invest money for high returns.
The victim then started paying the money believing that he was making investments and was trapped by the fraudsters. The complainant deposited more than Rs 54.75 Lakhs in between 6.05.2023 to 23.05.2023 to get high returns. When the fraudsters pursued him for more and more money without any return, the complainant reported the matter at Cyber Police Station at Crime Branch. On his complaint, CID CB Cyber Crime Police Station Case No.06/2023 was registered on 29.05.2023 u/s 419/ 420/ 467/ 468/ 471/ 120-B/ 34 IPC r/w Sec. 66-C/ 66-D of Information Technology Act, 2000 and a team of officers led by Inspector Geetanjali Jena investigated into it.
Online verification of the NCRP portal of I4C, Ministry of Home Affairs has revealed that apart from this case, 26 other complaints from different parts of the country have been registered against the registered bank account of Fynpe and 18 against the registered Bank Account of PayInc throughout India.
The Cyber Crime Unit of Crime Branch cautions the citizens to exercise necessary precaution while engaging in online investment activities and also to verify the authenticity of entities offering financial services. In recent years, there has been a concerning increase in cases of investment fraud, with perpetrators often utilizing WhatsApp or Telegram groups to defraud people. These groups are often populated with fraudsters promising unrealistic returns and encourage individuals to deposit money into suggested accounts.
For the safety of their investments, citizens are strongly advised to be wary of the unrealistic promises of high returns and scrutinize investment opportunities thoroughly before committing funds. By remaining vigilant and following the safety guidelines, individuals can safeguard their investments and protect themselves from becoming a victim of online investment fraud.
Crime Branch appeals to citizens that if they encounter any suspicious online activities or become victims of any kind of cyber frauds or crime, they should immediately report such incidents promptly by dialling Toll Free 1930 Cyber Crime Help Line or log on to www.cybercrime.gov.in and register their complaint without delay.