Inter-State gang from Rajasthan held for Rs 4 crore UPI fraud in Hyderabad

K. Narasimha, DCP (Crimes), Cyberabad said the gang whose members are aged in early twenties operated in groups. While some resided in Hyderabad, others operated from Rajasthan.

Hyderabad: The Cyberabad Central Crime Station (CCS) team and KPHB police on Monday arrested a 13-member interstate gang from Rajasthan on charges of involvement in a series of high-tech UPI frauds and cheating schemes, which also involved defrauding Bajaj Electronics of Rs 4 crore. Officials seized cash of Rs 1.7 lakh and electronic goods worth Rs 50 lakh.

The arrested persons include Som Raj, Sunil, Lac Ram, Sharwan, Soma Raj, Shiva Lal, Ramesh, Shravan Kumar, Pappu Ram, Shravan, Ramesh and Ashok Kumar.

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In recent months, noted electronic goods retailer Bajaj Electronics reported several fraud and cheating cases that resulted in losses to the tune of over Rs 4 crore. The complaints were made to various police stations under Cyberabad, Hyderabad, and Rachakonda Police Commissionerates and even in other urban centres across Telangana.

According to the police, after one such complaint, the police teams took up investigation and found the involvement of gang from Rajasthan. The suspects visited electronic showrooms and purchased expensive electronic goods. They share the UPI scanner with an accomplice claiming to be out of the city, who would transfer the money to the showroom. After taking delivery of the goods, the accomplice would file a chargeback complaint with the bank concerned, causing the transaction to reverse and the money to return to the fraudster’s bank account.

K.Narasimha, DCP (Crimes), Cyberabad said the gang whose members are aged in early twenties operated in groups. While some resided in Hyderabad, others operated from Rajasthan.

“The members from Hyderabad visited Bajaj Electronics showrooms to purchase high-value electronic items and send the showroom’s QR code to their associates in Rajasthan, who would transfer the money through UPI. After receiving the items, they would sell them and split the profits,” Narasimha said.

The associate who transferred the money would later file a fraudulent complaint requesting a chargeback, which resulted in a refund of the amount, he added.

The suspects were produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody.