Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Cyber Crime And Economic Offence Police on Sunday arrested a man for allegedly defrauding persons of over Rs 12 lakh through fake investment schemes circulated via WhatsApp.
The accused has been identified as Umashankar Dixit, a resident of Bhadrak district in Odisha.
According to police, Dixit operated a cyber fraud network that targeted victims across multiple states by promising high returns on investments. He created and managed WhatsApp groups where he promoted fictitious investment opportunities, luring unsuspecting persons to transfer money into his bank account.
Once the victims deposited funds, Dixit allegedly ceased all communication and became untraceable.
Following multiple complaints, a detailed investigation was launched across eight states. During the arrest, police recovered several incriminating items from the accused’s possession, including multiple mobile phones, bank passbooks, cheque books, and debit cards.
“He had opened a current account under the name of a fake company and was using it to facilitate cyber fraud. He had also provided this account to another cybercriminal in exchange for a two percent commission,” said Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena during a press briefing.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Dixit was a conduit for a larger cybercrime network. He is currently being interrogated to uncover other associates involved in the racket.
Cyber police are in the process of freezing the associated bank accounts and advising citizens to exercise caution while engaging in investment activities online.
