Bengaluru Woman Duped of ₹7 Lakh, Then Used as Money Mule by Cyber Fraudsters
A 21-year-old woman working at a private firm in Bengaluru was allegedly tricked into opening multiple bank accounts used for cybercrime transactions, after losing approximately ₹7 lakh to online job scammers from Uttar Pradesh, police said.
According to a complaint filed at the East CEN Crime Police Station, the woman came across an online link two years ago while browsing social media. After clicking, she was contacted by unknown individuals who promised her online work opportunities. They allegedly collected around ₹7 lakh from her through online transfers, citing processing fees and other charges.
When the promised work did not materialise, she demanded her money back. The accused allegedly told her the amount had been invested in a share market platform and offered her a monthly salary of ₹40,000 if she followed their instructions. They directed her to open four to five bank accounts, which they then used for financial transactions.
Later, the woman called the accused to Bengaluru and, with her family, demanded the return of her money. The accused allegedly came to the city, collected documents related to the bank accounts, and visited her residence, where a confrontation over the refund occurred.
The woman identified the men as Mukesh Kumar, Indrajit, and Chandan Kumar, all from Uttar Pradesh. She alleged that they cheated her of ₹7 lakh and misused the accounts she had opened at their behest, effectively turning them into mule accounts for cybercrime.
Police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which relate to identity theft, cheating by impersonation, and criminal breach of trust. Investigations are ongoing.
