Cyber crooks purchased customer data to scam bank clients: Police

Using the databases of bank customers, these cyber crooks defrauded victims by first gaining their confidence. Additionally, they often accessed leaked data from companies to identify their targets.

PRAYAGRAJ: After questioning the two arrested cyber crooks, Prayagraj police on Saturday revealed that the conmen had been purchasing bank customers’ details, including their mobile numbers, from databases obtained from insurance and sales agents.

Insurance agents, sales agents, and others with similar job profiles had sold customer databases, often in PDF form, for a few thousand rupees. (Sourced)

The crooks, who were arrested on Friday, were involved in duping over half a dozen people under the pretext of investments in cryptocurrency and digital arrests, amassing over ₹1.5 crore.

Using the databases of bank customers, these cyber crooks defrauded victims by first gaining their confidence. Additionally, they often accessed leaked data from companies to identify their targets. A cyber cop said that fraudsters also made random calls to potential victims to scam them under various pretexts.

It is worth mentioning that in cases of ‘digital arrests’ and frauds involving cryptocurrency and online share trading, the conmen specifically targeted people with hefty amounts deposited in their bank accounts.

A senior police official said that the involvement of bank staff at some level could not be ruled out in providing data on customers with large bank balances to cyber criminals. This data was then used to identify targets and defraud them under various pretexts, including digital arrests, the official added.

He further said that previous investigations had indicated that insurance agents, sales agents, and others with similar job profiles had sold customer databases, often in PDF form, for a few thousand rupees.

A sub-inspector at cyber police station, Alamgeer said that organised gangs of cyber conmen studied these databases and selected bank customers to target based on their bank balances and transaction histories.

“Cyber conmen also collect private information of the customers they want to target through their social media accounts and other sources. They then send links and make calls to lure them under various pretexts,” he said.

“Bank customers are also added to different telegram and WhatsApp groups to trap them with similar allurements,” he added.