Hyderabad sees rise in cybercrime cases involving identity theft

Hyderabad Cyber Crime police have initiated a case following a complaint by a Telangana Public Service Commission (TGPSC) member, Laxmikanth Rathod, who alleged that cybercriminals hacked his email accounts to impersonate him, reported The New Indian Express.

The fraudsters, posing as Rathod in his former role as vice-chancellor of Palamuru University, sent fraudulent emails to vice-chancellors, professors, and government officials to solicit money.

Rathod noted that this identity theft is severely damaging his reputation and could mislead officials, potentially causing financial loss and institutional disrepute.

The case is registered under Sections 66-C and 66-D of the IT Act and Section 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), with an investigation underway.

Retired bank employee loses ₹12.99 lakh

A 73-year-old retired bank employee from Barkatpura fell victim to a cyber scam, losing ₹12.99 lakh after installing a malicious app. The victim was misled by a fake Facebook link promising assistance with submitting a PNB life certificate online.

A fraudster, posing as a PNB representative, sent an APK file that the victim installed, enabling scammers to siphon funds from his three bank accounts. The police are investigating the incident.

Five arrested for supplying accounts to fraudsters

Cyberabad cybercrime police apprehended five individuals from the Telugu states for supplying over 120 bank accounts and SIM cards to cybercriminals involved in an online gaming fraud.

The accused facilitated a gang that deceived victims through fake portals displaying fictitious profits, operating via Telegram and WhatsApp on the Dodge book777 portal hosted on the Supago website.

Each account earned the perpetrators at least ₹10,000 in commission via UPI. Authorities have traced and frozen approximately ₹14 lakh linked to the scam.