Vizag Cops Arrest 10 Illegal SIM Activators For Enabling Cyber Frauds

Following investigations, cybercrime sleuths zeroed in agents at retail outlets who exploited the SIM activation process through deception. These agents told customers that their iris scans or fingerprints have not been captured properly and needed to be retaken. Subsequently, without the knowledge of customers, they used these customers’ IDs to activate additional SIM cards. They sold these SIM cards at high cost to criminals.

Police arrested two Vodafone agents of Nidadavole in West Godavari district – Ganta Ramakrishna and Adapa Kondababu, for illegally activating 500–600 SIM cards. Likewise, five Airtel agents in Pedana of Krishna district have been held for activating 300–350 fake SIMs, apart from three individuals in Cherukupally of Guntur district who activated 200–300 fake Jio SIM cards.

Cybercriminals used these SIMs to create thousands of fake email addresses and social media accounts, including on Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and WhatsApp. This helped cybercriminals carry out fraudulent activities like digital arrests, illegal betting, tax fraud, investment scams and inflating YouTube video viewership.

Some fake SIM cards had even been exploited by international cybercriminal networks.

Police said several criminals have also been found using advanced SIM Box technology devices containing 90 to 360 SIM card slots to route internet-based calls through local networks, thereby making international fraud calls appear as local calls and effectively concealing their true location.

Police said citizens can use the TAFCOP module on Sanchar Saathi portal to know whether fake SIMs have been activated in their names.