A major SIM card racket in Odisha has been unearthed by the police. This likely links to a a cyber fraud scheme. Links to over 700 SIM cards have been traced to Odisha. The CBI has arrested a telecom company area distributor on charges of cyber fraud linked to illegal SIM box operations. The agency has busted the illegal SIM box operation used for these fraudulent activities.
The investigating agency conducted raids at a total of 10 locations across Vaishali district in Bihar and Jagatsinghpur district in connection with the SIM card racket in Odisha. During the raids, various digital devices including mobile phones, laptops and SIM cards were seized.
The investigation has revealed details regarding more than 1,300 SIM cards. These were being used for several fraudulent activities. Significantly, the CBI probe found that over 700 of these SIM cards were issued through the area distributor based in Odisha. It is alleged that these SIM cards were dispatched to various ‘Points of Sale’ in the Vaishali district of Bihar.
SIM Card Racket In Odisha, Roots Extend To Bihar
An illegal SIM box operation was previously detected in Bihar’s Supaul district last year. Investigations have revealed links between this SIM box network and at least 73 cyber crime incidents across the country, including cases of ‘digital arrest’.
The investigation has also uncovered that while many SIM cards were issued in the names of specific customers, the individuals concerned were unaware that such SIMs had been obtained in their names.
It is suspected that the biometric data of the people concerned was collected through fraud during the e-KYC process. SIM cards from Odisha, SIM boxes in Bihar, and cyber fraud spanning across the entire nation has been unearthed. The CBI is now investigating to identify others involved in this massive network.
