Four arrested in TN for cyber fraud, duped victim of Rs 81.7 lakh

IANS May 12, 2025 303 views

A sophisticated cyber fraud network targeting unsuspecting victims through digital arrest scams has been busted by Tamil Nadu Police. The gang used elaborate tactics of impersonating law enforcement to coerce victims into transferring large sums of money. Four individuals, including a woman from Pollachi, were arrested for their involvement in the elaborate scheme. Over 350 similar complaints have been registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, highlighting the growing menace of such digital frauds.

"The victim was conned into transferring Rs 81.7 lakh by fraudsters posing as officials" - Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing
Chennai, May 12: The Cyber Crime wing of the Tamil Nadu Police has arrested four individuals, including a woman from Pollachi, for allegedly opening mule bank accounts to assist a cyber fraud network operating out of North India.

Key Points

1

Four-member gang arrested for sophisticated digital arrest cyber fraud

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Scam involved creating fake police verification scenarios

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Victim tricked into transferring massive Rs 81.7 lakh

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Network operated across multiple states targeting unsuspecting individuals

The arrests were made on Sunday following a detailed investigation into a digital arrest scam.

According to police, over 350 complaints related to digital arrest scams have been registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) in 2025 so far.

In the current case, a complaint from a resident of the Vellore district led to the breakthrough. The victim was conned into transferring Rs 81.7 lakh by fraudsters posing as officials from the Bengaluru police.

They falsely accused the victim of involvement in a human trafficking and overseas job racket, coercing him to part with the money under the guise of verification.

The police traced the transaction trail to a bank account in the name of K. Shobana from Pollachi, Coimbatore district.

Upon interrogation, Shobana revealed that she had opened the account on the instructions of her brother, M. Suresh, who promised her a commission by claiming it would be used for an online gaming business.

Suresh then led investigators to his associate, S. Senthil Kumar, a cattle feed merchant from Coimbatore, who managed the fraudulent accounts.

Further inquiry uncovered the involvement of Shobana’s husband, S. Karthik Raja, who had been approached by a man named Piyush, introduced through Suresh, as part of the online gaming operation.

Piyush offered a 2 per cent commission on profits and asked Karthik to open an account, enable net banking, and hand over the credentials. Due to Karthik’s physical disability, his elder brother, Prabhu -- a truck driver -- travelled to Lucknow and delivered the banking kit to Piyush.

Following this, Rs 12 lakh was deposited into Shobana’s account on January 2 and 3. The police have arrested and remanded K. Shobana, M. Suresh, S. Senthil Kumar, and S. Karthik Raja to judicial custody.

Investigations are ongoing to trace others involved in the scam.

Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
This is why we need stricter KYC norms for bank accounts! How can people just open accounts for others like this? The banks should also be held accountable. 81 lakhs is someone's life savings 😡
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Priya M.
Very sad that even educated people fall for these scams. We need more awareness campaigns in regional languages. My uncle in Madurai almost got trapped in similar fraud last month.
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Vijay S.
Good work by TN police! But why only small fish are caught? The masterminds operating from North India are still free. Need coordinated action across states to break these networks.
A
Ananya R.
The real victims here are those who lost money AND those poor people who were tricked into opening accounts. Many are uneducated and desperate for money. Need better financial literacy programs in rural areas.
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Suresh T.
Digital India needs Digital Policing! 350 complaints in just 5 months is alarming. Government should create special cyber police stations in every district with trained officers.
M
Meena P.
Heartbreaking to see how they targeted a physically disabled person. These fraudsters have no morals at all. Hope the victim gets at least some money back through legal process 🤞
K
Karthik N.
While the arrests are good, our cyber laws need updating. Currently punishment is too lenient for white collar crimes. Need stricter penalties that actually deter such frauds.

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Tags:
Cyber Fraud Tamil Nadu Police Digital Crime Bank Fraud Cyber Security Pollachi Arrest
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