A Rs 1.5 crore online fraud in Ahmedabad has led police to uncover a much larger cybercrime network involving thousands of SIM cards, OTP services, malware and suspected links to Pakistan and China.
The case began in June when an employee was tricked into transferring Rs 1.5 crore after fraudsters allegedly pretended to be a senior executive, using what is commonly known as a “boss scam”. The fraudsters created the impression that the employee was receiving an urgent instruction from a senior official and convinced the victim to transfer the money.
Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police acted quickly and managed to recover around Rs 1.3 crore of the amount. The recovered money was subsequently returned to the victim.
However, while investigating how the fraud was carried out, police found that the case was not limited to a single group of fraudsters. The investigation gradually led to a wider network that allegedly provided the tools and services needed to conduct cyber fraud on a larger scale.
Two Suspects Arrested in West Bengal and Kolkata
During the investigation, police arrested Imran Ali Pyaada from 24 Parganas in West Bengal and Injamul Mujibar Molla from Kolkata.
Police recovered eight electronic devices from the accused. One of the devices was particularly significant because it could operate four SIM cards at the same time.
Further questioning of the accused helped investigators uncover another major part of the operation. Police found that around 4,500 SIM cards had allegedly been procured for use in cybercrime activities.
The large number of SIM cards indicated that the operation may have been designed to support several fraudulent activities at the same time, rather than being used for just one scam.
Investigation Reveals Suspected China and Pakistan Links
As investigators followed the digital trail, they also found suspected international connections.
According to the investigation, malware developed in China was being used by the network and was allegedly operated from Hong Kong. Police also traced a call centre connected to the network to Islamabad, Pakistan.
Investigators believe the money generated through the fraud was moved through several countries, making it difficult to identify the original source and destination of the funds.
The discovery of these international links has expanded the investigation beyond Ahmedabad. The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime team is now working in coordination with the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) to examine the wider network and its overseas connections.
251 Cybercrime Complaints Linked to the Numbers
The investigation became even more serious when police checked the mobile numbers connected with the accused.
Around 251 complaints registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal were found to be linked to mobile numbers associated with the accused.
This suggests that the numbers and infrastructure allegedly used by the suspects may have been connected to multiple cybercrime cases.
Police believe the investigation has uncovered a large-scale “Cybercrime-as-a-Service” system. In simple terms, this means that instead of every fraudster building their own technical setup, some groups provide ready-made services and tools that other criminals can use to carry out scams.
WhatsApp Groups Used to Provide Cybercrime Services
Investigators also found that the network allegedly operated through WhatsApp groups.
These groups were reportedly used to provide different services to other cybercriminals. One of the services involved OTP-related assistance, which could help fraudsters complete unauthorised transactions.
Such a system allows different people involved in cybercrime to perform separate roles. One group may arrange SIM cards, another may provide technical tools, while others may handle OTPs, calls or the movement of stolen money.
This makes the entire operation more difficult to trace because the people directly communicating with a victim may not be the same people controlling the technical infrastructure or handling the money.
From One Boss Scam to a Wider Cybercrime Ecosystem
The Ahmedabad case shows how a seemingly straightforward online fraud can lead investigators to a much larger criminal network.
What started with a Rs 1.5 crore “boss scam” has now uncovered an alleged ecosystem involving thousands of SIM cards, multiple electronic devices, malware, OTP-related services, overseas call centres and international money trails.
The suspected links to China, Hong Kong and Pakistan have also raised concerns about the growing international nature of organised cyber fraud.
For investigators, the challenge is no longer limited to identifying the people who directly cheated the Ahmedabad victim. The wider investigation is aimed at understanding who supplied the infrastructure, who operated the different services, where the stolen money was sent and how the network was connected to cybercriminals in other countries.
Police Urge People to Verify Urgent Money Requests
The case also highlights the growing danger of impersonation-based scams.
In a boss scam, criminals may pretend to be a company owner, senior manager, government official or another person in authority. They may create a sense of urgency and pressure the victim into transferring money without giving them enough time to verify the request.
Police have advised people to independently confirm any unusual demand for money before making a transfer.
If a message or call comes from an unfamiliar number, even if the person claims to be a senior official or someone known to the victim, the request should be verified through another trusted communication channel.
The Ahmedabad investigation is still developing, but the recovery of Rs 1.3 crore and the discovery of thousands of SIM cards have already provided investigators with important leads into a much wider suspected cybercrime network.
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