Cybercrime crackdown: Telangana police bust SIM box network in Mancherial

Cyber fraudsters linked to Chinese networks are using SIM boxes to disguise international scam calls as local ones, evading detection by Indian authorities. A recent raid in Mancherial by Telangana police uncovered equipment used in cross-border scams.

Hyderabad: Cyber criminals are adopting new methods to hoodwink law enforcement agencies and continue their activities unhindered. Recently, it was found that cyber fraudsters, who are allegedly linked to Chinese networks and operating call centres from Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar are using SIM boxes to facilitate their fraud.

The SIM boxes are operated from within the country and can be used to disguise international calls as local calls. The hardware-based device is used to bypass restrictions or gateways of the Department of Telecommunications and telecom service providers. Each box is fitted with hundreds of SIM cards.

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“It helps avoid detection by law enforcement agencies. Moreover, it facilitates Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls on behalf of the cyber call centres to the local persons without any suspicion,” said a cybercrime official.

In July, the Telangana State Cyber Crime Bureau along with Ramagundam police and Department of Telecommunications raided a house at Mancherial and caught a gang involved in cyber frauds using SIM boxes. The operation led to the seizure of equipment used to facilitate cross-border scams routed through domestic mobile networks.

The new modus operandi was employed by fraudsters after calls from foreign and spoofed local numbers dropped due to algorithms deployed at the gateways by the Telecom department and telecom service providers to prevent cyber frauds.

“With just one or two individuals operating them, fraudsters can manage and make a high volume of calls simultaneously, often used in scams involving impersonation, threats, or financial fraud, while evading detection. Blocked SIM cards can also be used,” said the official.

The police said the Chinese mastermind promised a commission and added that the cyber criminals were operating from cyber slave scam centres in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.