Forex fraud: Gang of int’l cheaters busted, two held

New Delhi: The Delhi Police busted an international gang of cheaters who duped customers as well as a prominent bank, the officials informed on Tuesday.

The accused persons have been identified as Sonal, a resident of the Paschim Vihar area of Outer Delhi and Paras Chauhan, a resident of Northeast Delhi’s Brahmpuri area. According to DCP North Sagar Singh Kalsi, “A complaint from a user of forex card was received in North District last year wherein she alleged that while she was in the United Kingdom, she came to know that nearly Rs 11 lakh loaded in her forex card were fraudulently withdrawn. Later, upon arrival in India, she filed a complaint with the bank and police.”

Adding further Kalsi said, on enquiry, it was found that several such incidents also took place with several other forex cardholders of the bank. Subsequently, a complaint from the bank was also received with similar facts. Meanwhile, it was found that the registered mobile number and e-mail id of the customer were changed after calls were received on customer care and the money/recharge amount was then transferred from the old card of the user to a new card.

Subsequently, Rs 64,05,496 was withdrawn from various locations in Thailand in April and May 2022. Later, a case under section 420 IPC was registered and the investigation was carried out, Kalsi mentioned.

The investigation was taken up by a dedicated team of Special Staff, North District led by SI Rohit, ASI Rajeev, ASI Harphool, ASI Jag Om, HC Amit, HC Devender, HC Shripal, HC Rakesh and HC Bharat under the supervision of Ajay Kumar, Inspector Special Staff and overall supervision of Dharmendra Kumar, ACP Operations, DCP North said.

All data related to forex card transactions were collected from the bank. From the technical surveillance based on CDR, internet protocol etc, a person was identified, who was present at all locations from where calls were made to customer care of the bank. Data related to the travel history of Indian passport holders to Thailand between specific dates were also collected and matched with data related to technical surveillance, wherein the accused was identified as Sonal, a resident of Paschim Vihar Delhi, Kalsi confirmed.

Further, it was also found that Sonal departed for Thailand again in the current month, following which teams were placed at the airport. Upon his arrival in India, Sonal was apprehended.

Sonal and another co-accused Sandeep Ojha arranged sim cards for calling and started calling bank customer care in February 2022, first from Sector 137, Noida and then from Paschim Vihar, Delhi. He and Sandeep Ojha travelled to Bangkok Thailand in April and May 2022 where they withdrew money from ATMs using Forex cards with the help of a Thai national Anurak, Kalsi said.