Cops bust fraud syndicate, nab 3 including aspiring influencer

NEW DELHI: The Cyber Cell of Delhi Police has arrested three individuals, including a struggling social media influencer, in connection with two separate online fraud cases.

Police were alerted through complaints registered at the Cyber Police Station, Central Delhi.

The accused have been identified as Alok Kumar (32), resident of Triveni Nagar 3, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh; Aditya Shukla (22), resident of Triveni Nagar 1, Sitapur Road, Lucknow; and Hukum Singh Rawat alias Anuj (19), resident of Village Ramadaspur, Lucknow.

According to officials, the accused, including the influencer with nearly one lakh Instagram followers, were selling mule accounts to fund cyber scams.

The arrests followed extensive technical surveillance and analysis of digital footprints.

The syndicate was allegedly involved in multiple online frauds, ranging from fake job offers to bogus online sales.

Investigators have seized several bank accounts and digital evidence, while efforts continue to freeze the proceeds of crime.

In the first case, complainant Smita Verma (28) was duped of Rs 31,800 in a “work from home” hotel-rating scam. The fraudsters initially paid her small amounts to gain trust before pressuring her to invest larger sums.

Alok Kumar, an ex-E-rickshaw driver, opened bank accounts for the syndicate, while Aditya Shukla created six accounts and sold them for a commission of three to four per cent. The second case involved a tractor sale fraud on Facebook Marketplace.

On 14 June, victim Dalip Kumar was tricked into transferring Rs 1.81 lakh to a scammer posing as an Army official.

The accused, Hukum Singh Rawat, a BA student and aspiring influencer, admitted to selling his bank accounts for commission to fund his social media career.

The arrests were made under the supervision of ACP (Operations) Central District, with Inspector Sandeep Panwar leading the operation.

Officials said the investigation is ongoing to trace other members of the syndicate and recover additional defrauded money.