Salesman helps ‘friend’ escape from Saudi Arabia police, cheated of Rs 1.5L

Bengaluru: Adugodi police have arrested seven men from Mysuru in a cyberfraud case, where a salesman was duped of Rs 1.5 lakh by crooks, impersonating his Dubai-based friend. The seven operated bank accounts for the main accused, who is at large.

The arrested are Azharuddin, 32, Shashi Kumar, 25, Syed Danish, 20, Syed Kashif, 31, Mohammed Mudassir, 36, Shafi alias Shafiulla, 38, and Imtiyaz Pasha, 33, all residents of Mysuru. Azharuddin works as a tool sharpener and Shashi works for a private firm. Kashif, a diploma holder in mechanical engineering, was into textile business. Mohammed studied ITI and was jobless, while the others are school dropouts without a job.

Azharuddin was in contact with the main accused, who asked him to open bank accounts in his and his friends' names. The kingpin said he needed accounts to transfer the money he was making in online video gaming. They were paid Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 as commission monthly. The arrested persons claim they had no idea that they were being used as mule accounts to receive funds from cybercrime, a senior officer said.

Friend said he's arrested by Saudi Arabian police

Mohammed Kashif, 27, the salesman from Adugodi, received a Facebook request in the name of his Dubai-based friend on Jan 7. The fraudster said he is coming back to India and will send some money to Kashif's bank account, which he would collect after returning. Accordingly, the fraudster sent a receipt for having sent Rs 7.9 lakh to Kashif's account and told him that it would reflect in his account in 24 hours.

The next day, Kashif got a message from the friend, saying he was at a Saudi Arabian police station and was accused of having links with the ISI. He needed some money to get away from police. "He told me that an agent who is helping him would contact me. I had to send money to the bank account he provided," Kashif told TOI.

"Then I received a call from a person claiming to be the agent and asked me to transfer Rs 2 lakh. I transferred Rs 1.5 lakh to multiple accounts he provided. I then called on my friend's number, and it got connected. He was talking normally. I suspected something amiss and asked if he had sent me a Facebook request and messages. He said no. I then realised I was cheated and filed a complaint on Jan 9," he said.

Funds transferred to bank accounts opened in Mysuru

Police found that the bank accounts Kashif sent his money to, were opened in Mysuru and there were 28 cases registered against those accounts. The police took the details of the account holders and nabbed Azharuddin on Jan 17. The remaining six were arrested by Jan 20.

Nine mobile phones, 11 bank passbooks, 6 cheque books, 31 debit cards, and 9 Aadhaar cards were seized from their residences. The arrested had opened the bank accounts four months back. "Efforts are on to nab others," DCP (South-East) Sarah Fathima said.