Mira-Bhayandar man arrested in online task fraud case

The Pimpri Chinchwad police have made a significant breakthrough in an online task fraud case by apprehending a 20-year-old man from the Mira-Bhayandar area in Thane. Identified as Zaid Khan, the suspect’s bank account was allegedly utilized to receive funds from victims of the task fraud.

According to investigations conducted by the cybercrime cell of the Pimpri Chinchwad police, a task fraud victim from Sangvi incurred a loss of Rs 32.9 lakh to cyber criminals. It was discovered that Rs 2.5 lakh from the total amount was transferred to Khan’s bank account.

Further scrutiny of the transactions revealed that approximately Rs 18 lakh were subsequently withdrawn from Khan’s bank account through cash dispensing machines located in Dubai. The task fraud, which ensnared a 46-year-old engineer from Mumbai earlier this year, involved assigning tasks such as posting reviews of restaurants and hotels online. Initially, the victim received payments for completing these tasks but was later coerced into investing in prepaid tasks, resulting in his financial loss.

Khan, who is currently unemployed, has been implicated in illegal activities, including his involvement in facilitating fraudulent transactions. Additionally, it was uncovered during the investigation that Khan’s bank account had been utilized for similar fraudulent activities in two other states, indicating the possibility of a broader network of perpetrators operating across state lines.

The arrest of Khan was made possible with the aid of technical investigations, which led the police to his location in Mira-Bhayandar. He was subsequently apprehended on Thursday and has since been handed over to the Sangvi police for further interrogation and legal proceedings.

Further investigation into the case has revealed that Khan’s bank account was not only used to receive illicit funds but also for carrying out financial transactions, including withdrawals in Dubai, underscoring the transnational nature of the fraudulent activities.