Mumbai Cyber Crime Bust: 8 Arrested for Illegal SIM Porting Scam

Eight individuals were detained for illegally porting mobile numbers and supplying them to cyber criminals who created WhatsApp groups for scams. The arrests, made by Mumbai's cyber police, included telecom employees and shop owners. The group illicitly ported 3,000 numbers, defrauding victims of crores of rupees.

In a significant crackdown, Mumbai's cyber police have apprehended eight individuals suspected of illegally porting mobile phone numbers without the necessary Know Your Customer (KYC) documentation. These numbers were allegedly supplied to cyber fraudsters who utilized them to form WhatsApp groups for conducting online scams, a police official revealed on Thursday.

Among the arrested are employees from two major telecom service providers and some shop owners, according to the police. The fraudulent scheme involved luring individuals into fake share investment opportunities, with the eight-member syndicate reportedly selling at least 3,000 numbers through these illegal means. The fraud is believed to have accrued several crore rupees in illegal gains.

The investigation was triggered by a complaint from a victim who claimed he was duped of Rs 51.33 lakh between May 14 and June 28 this year. The probe uncovered that his number was added to a fraudulent WhatsApp group via a SIM card ported through illegal use of a UPC code.

(With inputs from agencies.)