Cyber Scam Duo Detained for Online Deceit
Two members of a fraudulent group have been arrested by the Cyber Police Center (CPC) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for allegations of online outsourcing scams and impersonating senior government officials to deceive people into part-time jobs. The suspects, Sukanto Biswas (24) from Madaripur and Manab Baidya (23), were apprehended in the Lalbagh area of the capital.
CID’s Media Department’s Special Police Superintendent, Jasim Uddin Khan, confirmed the arrest and stated that six mobile phones and fourteen SIM cards used in the crime were seized from the suspects.
On Monday (7 April), the police officer revealed that the fraudsters had been using these SIM cards for a long period before switching to new WhatsApp accounts after the original numbers were deactivated. These accounts were used to impersonate police officers, senior government officials, businessmen, and university vice-chancellors, offering online outsourcing jobs or deceiving people in other ways to obtain money.
It has been reported that a fraud case has been filed with the Paltan Police Station, and the CID is currently investigating the matter. The complaint details that the victim, while browsing the internet and various social media platforms, had seen advertisements for online outsourcing work. After searching for a part-time job to supplement his income, he received a message on his Telegram account offering a part-time position.
The victim contacted the scammers, who added him to a Telegram group with many members. In the group, the scammers asked for a 10,000 Taka fee to learn the work. After sending the money via bKash, the fraudsters opened a deposit account for the victim and provided some instructions for the job. However, when the victim tried to follow up for more details, the scammers stopped responding to his messages. Later, the victim discovered from friends and acquaintances that many others had fallen victim to similar online outsourcing scams via Telegram, WhatsApp, or Messenger.
