Cyber Crime
Enforcement Directorate To Scan Wealth Made By Jamtara Scammers
JAMTARA: Following a plea from the Jharkhand police, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched an investigation into the online fraudsters of Jamtara. The sleepy town of Jamtara came to the limelight after unemployed youth from here started making fraud calls and minted huge amount through online financial frauds.
Jamtara is the country’s epicentre for phishing calls. It is also known as the country’s cybercrime capital. A web series named Jamtara – sab ka number aayega was made on the life of cybercriminals operating from the area.
“We had reported 14 such people to the ED, who had no visible source of income but boasted of immovable properties that the upper middle class would envy. An investigation has already begun by the ED. Two people have been charged, and three more are expected to be charged soon. Others are being rounded up by the agency,” Jamtara Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar Sinha told media.
“We’re keeping a close watch on these scammers,” he said. Cybercriminals from the region have amassed immovable properties in their names or to avoid law enforcement action they have invested in the name of their acquaintance.
“Another list of 12 people has been generated in addition to the 14 names and will be handed over to the ED for further investigation,” Sinha said.
The Jamtara district police conducted an initial inquiry and discovered that scammers had purchased automobiles, stores, and residential properties in the identities of others.
Many of them have not even completed matriculation but have learned how to manipulate people with the help of specialists to commit white-collar crimes.
“As part of our inquiry, we focus on specific properties held by suspects, then check who owns them, and if signs of ill-gotten wealth are discovered, we step up our probe. The Income Tax Department will be kept informed as well,” Jamtara police chief added.
Police have discovered properties worth Rs 2 crore belonging to one of the people whose names appear on the ED’s list. However, according to our estimates, his entire wealth would not be less than ten crore, Sinha said
After the district police focused on monitoring the fraudsters’ assets, some of them allegedly purchased flats, hotels, and plots outside of Jharkhand to avoid local authorities.
Jamtara has the dubious distinction of being the country’s cybercrime capital, with the youth turning to internet fraud as a means of making quick cash. They’ve mastered phishing by operating from far away areas and keeping themselves hidden from law authorities. Several states’ police have visited Jamtara in recent years in search of such crooks.
Police claims recently, these criminals have changed their modus-operandi. They’ve started relocating to West Bengal, New Delhi, and other locations. A cell phone and good internet access are required for such fraudulent activities. When it comes to space they either rent the entire area for safety or but a flat.
In the last year, 300 cybercriminals have been apprehended and imprisoned in Jamtara, and the authorities have a list of 1,200 scammers.
Follow The420.in on
Telegram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube