Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 20 (ANI): In a major nationwide operation targeting the Ghost SIM network that enables organised cyber fraud, the Hyderabad City Police Cyber Crime Police Station has apprehended 66 persons and seized hundreds of fraudulent mobile connections.
These individuals are collectively linked to 76 cybercrime cases across India involving a fraudulent amount of Rs 101.87 crore.
According to an official release, Operation Octopus 3.0, focused on dismantling the infrastructure providing anonymity to cyber criminals, resulted in the identification of 1,194 Ghost SIMs linked to cases registered at the Cyber Crime PS.
Eighteen trained teams were deployed across 13 states over seven days, leading to the seizure of 544 SIMs in Hyderabad city alone, of which 432 were sealed SIMs ready for deployment in cybercrime activities.
The operation covered Telangana, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Punjab. Of the 66 persons apprehended, 44 were Ghost SIM holders, 20 were PoS agents or telecom promoters, and two were Ghost SIM suppliers.
The modus operandi revealed during the operation included PoS agents activating additional SIM cards in genuine customers’ names without their knowledge during MNP eKYC verification and converting them to eSIMs for dispatch abroad.
Agents also offered free activations to less digitally literate individuals, diverted SIM cards to distributors on commission, induced customers to surrender SIMs or share OTPs for use in fraudulent activities, and conducted bulk SIM camps in villages under the guise of free distribution, targeting illiterate persons.
The entire operation was conducted under the close supervision of DCP Cybercrimes V Aravind Babu and ACP Cybercrimes Siva Maruthi, with teams from CCPS Hyderabad, Detective Inspectors and AR staff.
This forms part of Hyderabad City Police’s sustained efforts to address enablers in the financial and telecom ecosystem.
The police will now engage senior leadership of Airtel, Jio and Vodafone Idea on strengthening PoS oversight, real-time verification, faster deactivation of flagged SIMs, blacklisting of errant agents, anomaly detection and data-sharing protocols with law enforcement.
Hyderabad City Police has also called for engagement with the Department of Telecom and TRAI to plug procedural loopholes and strengthen KYC processes.
Police have issued a public advisory warning citizens not to share Aadhaar details, biometrics, OTPs, or photographs with unknown or unauthorised SIM vendors.
“They have urged people to purchase SIM cards only from authorised telecom outlets after proper identity verification. Users are also advised to regularly verify SIM cards registered against their Aadhaar through the Sanchar Sathi portal. In case of any unauthorised SIMs found linked to one’s Aadhaar, citizens should immediately block them via the same portal,” said in a release.
The advisory further states that any unauthorised SIMs operating in a person’s name should be reported to the Department of Telecommunications or the police.
People have been asked to remain cautious while buying new SIM cards or while opting for mobile number portability.
Victims of cyber fraud are advised to call the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 immediately or register complaints at www.cybercrime.gov.in.
Operation Octopus is ongoing, with further actions against higher-level fraud networks underway, according to the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City. (ANI)
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