India authorities crack down on cyber fraud and SIM card misuse

Indian authorities are intensifying efforts against cybercrime syndicates involving APK-based fraud, mule accounts, and SIM card misuse.

Delhi Police recently dismantled an APK-based fraud syndicate, arresting three individuals from Ahmedabad. The group allegedly used malicious applications to gain unauthorized access to mobile devices and banking information. Investigators traced fraudulent proceeds through multiple credit cards used on a commission basis. In a separate investigation, Delhi Police arrested three people, including a labourer and two students, for operating a mule account used to process funds from a government scholarship scam.

Simultaneously, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued a stern warning regarding the misuse of SIM cards and telecom identifiers under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. Violations, such as fraudulent SIM issuance or tampering with IMEI numbers, can result in up to three years of imprisonment and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh. This advisory follows the discovery of a racket in Chhattisgarh where a Point of Sale agent illegally activated mobile connections using citizens' identities without consent. The DoT has begun blacklisting non-compliant agents and deactivating suspicious connections identified through its Digital Intelligence Platform.