Kolkata: The Special Task Force (STF) of the state police has nabbed nine persons from different places of Murshidabad and Hooghly districts for allegedly using forged documents and collecting fingerprints to activate SIM cards to open WhatsApp accounts and share OTP to foreign entities.
According to STF officials, a racket was active in Murshidabad and Hooghly districts which used to collect documents of people along with their fingerprints with ill motives. After collecting the information and biometric data, the accused persons used to activate many SIM cards on the basis of the documents and the fingerprints, impersonating the original persons.
After the SIM cards are activated, the accused used to open WhatsApp accounts using the mobile numbers and share OTPs. The credentials of the SIM card were also given to people outside India with ill motives. Acting on a tip off, cops on Sunday conducted raids in multiple places of Murshidabad and nabbed seven people. After interrogating them, cops conducted a raid at Jangipara in Hooghly district from where two more people were arrested. A senior officer of the STF said that the accused persons used to activate SIM cards to open WhatsApp accounts for use as the said social media account is end-to-end encrypted and cannot be intercepted. During the raid, police seized several SIM cards, biometric fingerprint scanners, smartphones and other electronic devices, which were used by
the accused persons.