NEW DELHI – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), International Operations Division (IOD), has registered a fresh First Information Report (FIR) against an eight-member gang involved in high-tech cyber scams targeting residents in the United Kingdom. The suspects, operating from Punjab, Bihar, and Uttarakhand, allegedly utilized social engineering tactics and fake identities to defraud victims under the guise of online retail and emergency family assistance.
The FIR (No. RC2312026S0004) was formally registered on January 26, 2026, following extensive source information regarding fraudulent activities conducted in July 2024.
The “Designer Wedding Dress” Scam
The investigation detailed a sophisticated operation that targeted a victim in Manchester, England, who was searching for a wedding dress on Instagram in July 2024.
- Digital Entrapment: The accused induced the victim via WhatsApp, providing Indian bank account details for the purchase and subsequent “postage fees”.
- Impersonation: The fraudsters sent a fake WhatsApp message posing as the delivery giant DHL, demanding an additional £486 for delivery.
- The Financial Hit: The victim transferred a total of £2,641.87 (approximately ₹2.72 lakh) into six different Indian bank accounts.
- The Result: After the payments were made, the victim was falsely informed the parcel was at a local shop; however, no such package existed.
The funds were distributed across various accounts in Punjab and Uttarakhand and were withdrawn almost immediately through ATMs and transfers to digital payment platforms.
The “Nephew in Jail” Fraud
A second victim in the UK was targeted on July 31, 2024, through a classic “emergency scam”.
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- Modus Operandi: An accused individual posed as the victim’s nephew currently residing in Canada.
- The Emergency: The caller claimed to be in jail and requested £3,000 to secure bail.
- Money Laundering: The victim sent the funds to a State Bank of India account in Siwan, Bihar, where ₹3,20,400 was credited.
- Diversion: The money was then quickly transferred to an Indian Overseas Bank account belonging to another suspect to obscure the trail.
The suspects have been booked under:
- BNS 2023: Sections 61 (Criminal Conspiracy) and 318 (Cheating).
- IT Act 2000: Section 66-D (Cheating by personation using computer resources).
The investigation is being spearheaded by Inspector Anoop Singh under the supervision of S.C. Jiani, Superintendent of Police, CBI, IOD, New Delhi.