Cyber crime busts online betting racket

Hyderabad Cyber Crime police have arrested four individuals involved in a sophisticated online betting fraud. The accused supplied SIM cards registered in the names of family members and friends, which were subsequently used for betting scams through deceptive social media advertisements. Those detained include Mohammed Syeed Uddin Farid, Mohd Tajuddin, Mohd Younis Arbaaz, and Md Ayub.

Farid, who previously worked at a cricket betting call centre in Dubai, returned to India to source SIM cards from his locality. He offered Tajuddin, Younis, and Ayub Rs 600 per card. These 250 cards were then delivered to an associate named Mudassir in Gujarat, who paid Farid Rs 1200 per unit. DCP V Aravind Babu stated that the syndicate created fraudulent websites and posed as customer support to gain the trust of victims.

They falsely promised high returns and assisted users in depositing funds. However, once investments were made, the system was manipulated to prevent any withdrawals. In this specific case, a complainant lost a staggering Rs 1,50,00,000 through the cricket betting trap.

Police are now working to trace the money trail, freeze related bank accounts, and apprehend additional absconding suspects involved in the wider network. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities warn the public against such unregulated platforms.