The Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) of the Tamil Nadu police has launched an intensive operation against cyber slavery, arresting illegal job recruiters and brokers who facilitated a massive online fraud.
Following reports that many youth from the State were being held captive in heavily guarded hideouts of cyber criminals in Southeast Asian countries, Director-General of Police/Head of the Police Force Shankar Jiwal ordered an investigation by the CB-CID.
According to sources in the agency, illegal manpower recruiters who deceived educated youth with promises of lucrative jobs abroad were arrested in Cuddalore, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Salem, Madurai, and other districts under the Human Trafficking Act and Indian Emigration Act.
Over a dozen agents who organised bank accounts and SIM cards for the multinational scammers to siphon off funds and convert them into cryptocurrency were also taken into custody.
Investigators are coordinating with law enforcement agencies in Cambodia and Laos through diplomatic channels to rescue dozens of youth from Tamil Nadu who remain trapped in scam camps.
Over ₹10,000 crore stolen
Data shared by the Indian Cyber Crime Co-ordination Centre (I4C) with the Tamil Nadu police indicates that more than ₹10,000 crore was stolen from the bank accounts of individuals across the country who fell victim to the various online scams in one year, starting January 2023. The suspects initially transferred the defrauded money to Indian bank accounts and then converted it into cryptocurrency for easier encashment in other countries.
Many of the youth who were duped by illegal job recruiters were taken on tourist visas to Dubai or Thailand, from where they were illegally ferried by boat to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and other countries. They were taken to hideouts of the gang, where they were forced to commit cyber crimes targeting people in India, particularly Tamil Nadu.
Upon arrival, they were screened at camps to assess their competency in basic computer applications and data entry operations. Those who lacked the required skills were given crash courses to equip them for the job, Inspector-General of Police, CB-CID, T.S. Anbu told The Hindu on Thursday.
“Once new recruits were found ready to work, the gang leaders informed them that they were hired to perpetrate online frauds, including investment, matrimonial, and romantic scams. Those who refused were subjected to various forms of torture, including electric shocks, until they agreed. In some cases, a ransom was demanded for the release of the victims who wished to return to their home country,” he said, quoting victims who managed to escape with help from Indian missions.
Without their passports and mobile phones, recruits had little choice but to remain until they found an opportunity to escape. They were each given a system to engage in scams by contacting people who responded to fraudulent advertisements. The employees who met targets by stealing a specified amount of money were rewarded with incentives.
Fake bank accounts
Explaining the transfer of funds, Mr. Anbu said the culprits paid brokers across the State to open bank accounts under various names, with individuals agreeing to share their credentials for a commission. Hundreds of SIM cards, activated under fictitious companies, were linked to these bank accounts for the illicit transactions.
“The money looted from unsuspecting individuals would be transferred to these bank accounts and then converted to cryptocurrency for easy encashment abroad. The recruited youth were paid for committing these crimes,” the IGP said.
In the past month, CB-CID teams located the family members of 1,285 youth from Tamil Nadu who had not returned after leaving the country on tourist visas. Over 1,150 were found working in different companies with no complaints, while about 115 remain untraceable.
Recognising that awareness was the most effective tool to prevent unemployed youth from falling into the traps of illegal overseas manpower agencies and to protect individuals from online scams, the police were in touch with various stakeholders to launch a widespread campaign on the Do’s and Don’ts, Mr. Anbu added.
Published - September 12, 2024 07:37 pm IST
