Fingerprint cloning: Hyderabad police nab 6-member gang

Hyderabad Cybercrime police nabbed a six-member gang on charges of creating fingerprint cloning (rubber fingerprint) and making unauthorised financial transactions at various banks to the tune of Rs.10 lakh

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Cybercrime police on Wednesday nabbed a six-member gang on charges of creating fingerprint cloning (rubber fingerprint) and making unauthorised financial transactions at various banks to the tune of Rs 10 lakh.

The arrested persons are N Asadharan alias Rupesh, S Uday Kiran, Mohd. Iyaz, Ch. Narendra, R Shiva Krishna and K Srinu.

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According to the police, the suspects who are close friends formed into a gang, conspired together to earn easy money through Aadhaar Enabled Payment System. As per their plan, they ordered an image pack stamp machine, heat machine, polymer liquid and other material online.

In July, Narendra and Uday, has supplied up to 2,500 land registration document files in soft copies (including fingerprint) through pen drive to other suspects. They further converted total 1,000 fingerprints into cloned fingerprints.

“They opened various bank accounts and merchant IDs. So far, they made up to 2,500 AEPS (Aadhaar Enabled payment system) transactions through different merchant IDs. They shared the drawn amount,” said Gajrao Bhupal, Joint Commissioner (Crimes and SIT).

Based on the complaint, the cybercrime police booked a case and with the help of scientific analysis, identified the suspects and nabbed them.

Lost money returned to victims

The investigation team ensured that an amount of Rs 5 lakh is returned to the victims through the bank out of the lost amount of Rs.10 as on date. Efforts will be continued till the entire lost amount is returned to the victims, officials said.

Advisory

*Don’t believe plans which show easy money and high returns on investments.

* Don’t share Aaadhaar card data anywhere unless required.

*Cross check account balance and transaction statements periodically and report any fraudulent transactions immediately.

*Beware while using their fingerprint or biometric data anywhere.

*Misuse of confidential database will attract penal action. Hence custodians of confidential database are liable to be punished in case of data breach.