Latest news with #CyberCrimeandEconomicOffence
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Bihar native dupes man on pretext of helping open petrol pump, arrested
BHUBANESWAR : Police have arrested a Bihar native for allegedly posing as an Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) employee and cheating a businessman of Rs 19.97 lakh on the promise of facilitating him to open a petrol pump in Biridi area of Jagatsinghpur. The accused, Satish Kumar of Nawada district in Bihar, was brought to Odisha on Saturday night. The Cyber Crime and Economic Offence police station had received a complaint from Sarada Prasan Routray, a businessman of Bhotapada in this connection on May 2. As per the complainant, he had been looking to open a petrol pump and browsing the internet to get information on the same. While searching online, he had come across a fake website where the scamsters impersonated themselves as employees of IOCL, and assured to help him open a petrol pump in his wife's name at Biridi. The cyber fraudsters even used a fake website - iocl@ to communicate with the complainant. Without realising that it was a scam, Routray allegedly deposited six cheques amounting to Rs 19.97 lakh between January 29 and April 25. However, he later developed a suspicion over the entire process and visited the IOCL office where Routray realised that he had been duped by the fraudsters. 'All the cheques were issued in the name of IOCL. However, the accused had provided mule account numbers to Routray,' said Bhubaneswar DCP, Jagmohan Meena. Police said neither the bank nor the complainant verified if the accounts indeed belonged to IOCL. 'The banks and the customers should verify the names on the cheques and the accounts where the money is being transferred to find out if they are same or not,' said Cyber crime and Economic Offence police station ACP, Akshaya Kumar Nayak.
New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Six arrested in Odisha's Balangir for duping man of Rs 78 lakh in stock market investment fraud
CUTTACK: The Cyber Crime and Economic Offence police on Sunday arrested six persons from Balangir for allegedly duping a man of around Rs 78 lakh on the promise of receiving high financial returns by investment in stock market. The accused have been identified as Bijaya Meher (28), Bishwambhar Kharsel (27), Rajesh Tandi (20), Anil Naik (21), Sritam Meher and Dipak Dharua (24), all belonging to Balangir. Briefing mediapersons, DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo said the victim filed a complaint on April 24 stating he had come in contact with a trading company named Spreadex Global Ltd through a Telegram channel in the name 'good_priya' in February this year. During the course of their interaction, the fraudsters allegedly convinced the victim to invest in stock market by promising high financial returns. Eventually, the victim transferred money to the tune of Rs 78 lakh in multiple phases from February to April. Though the fraudsters initially paid him back some money to win his trust, they later stopped it. On realising that he had been cheated, the victim then lodged a complaint, police said. 'The group meticulously planned the cyber crime, gathering bank accounts and phone numbers of individuals across India, and used these details to route and collects the defrauded funds. Efforts are underway to nab the others involved,' the DCP said.
Hans India
29-04-2025
- Hans India
Prashant's family denounces crowdfunding drive
Balasore: The family members of Prashant Satpathy, a victim of Pahalgam terror attack, on Monday strongly denounced the crowdfunding campaign allegedly being carried out in the name of helping his wife and son. The victim's family has lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime and Economic Offence police station in Balasore, stating that some people have started a fake fundraising campaign on social media platforms and are collecting money in the name of helping them. 'We have not given any consent to anyone for crowdfunding. We don't need money from the public, but seek their good wishes and blessings for my departed husband. We don't know the intention behind crowdfunding, but I appeal to all to stop the drive,' Satpathy's wife Priyadarshani Acharya told reporters. Prashant (41), an employee of CIPET, Balasore, was one of the 26 persons killed in the Pahalgam attack on April 22. Claiming that she learnt about crowdfunding from social media on Saturday, Priyadarshini said, 'Maybe those raising funds have good intentions, but they should have taken our consent. If they have collected some money, let them donate it to some charitable organisations and trusts. We strongly believe the government will take care of us.' Prashant's younger brother Jayant said the fundraising has hurt the entire family. 'God will punish the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack,' he said, adding that the family has lodged an FIR with the Balasore Cyber police station in this regard (crowdfunding). Jayant also mentioned that they had reached out to the woman whose phone number was listed in the fundraising appeals on social media. 'She apologised for not taking our consent before starting the fundraiser,' he said. Meanwhile, a senior officer said the cyber police station has begun an investigation and contacted the person(s) involved in the fundraiser. Police sources said at least five to six persons have transferred about Rs 18,000 to the accused person's account. Earlier, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had announced Rs 20 lakh ex gratia, a job for his wife and full support for the education and future needs of their nine-year-old son.
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
Family of Pahalgam terror attack victim from Odisha denounce crowdfunding drive
The family members of Prashant Satpathy, a victim of the Pahalgam terror attack from Odisha, on Monday strongly denounced the crowdfunding campaign allegedly being carried out in the name of helping his wife and son. The victim's family has lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime and Economic Offence police station in Balasore, stating that some people have started a fake fundraising campaign on social media platforms and are collecting money in the name of helping them. "We have not given any consent to anyone for crowdfunding. We don't need money from the public, but seek their good wishes and blessings for my departed husband. We don't know the intention behind crowdfunding, but I appeal to all to stop the drive," Satpathy's wife Priya Darshani Achariya told reporters. Prashant (41), an employee of CIPET, Balasore, was one of the 26 people killed in the Pahalgam attack on April 22. Claiming that she learnt about crowdfunding from social media on Saturday, Priya said, "Maybe those raising funds have good intentions, but they should have taken our consent. If they have collected some money, let them donate it to some charitable organisations and trusts. We strongly believe the government will take care of us." Prashant's younger brother Jayant said the fundraising has hurt the entire family. "God will punish the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack," he said, adding that the family has lodged an FIR with the Balasore Cyber police station in this regard (crowdfunding). Jayant also mentioned that they had reached out to the woman whose phone number was listed in the fundraising appeals on social media. "She apologised for not taking our consent before starting the fundraiser," he said. Meanwhile, a senior officer said the cyber police station has begun an investigation and contacted the person(s) involved in the fundraiser. Police sources said at least five to six persons have transferred about ₹18,000 to the accused person's account. Earlier, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had announced ₹20 lakh ex gratia, a job for his wife and full support for the education and future needs of their 9-year-old son.
New Indian Express
28-04-2025
- New Indian Express
Fake fundraiser irks Pahalgam attack victim Prasant's family, complaint lodged
BHUBANESWAR: Still struggling to cope with the loss of Prasant Satpathy, who fell victim to terrorists in Pahalgam on April 22, his family now seems to be confronted with the challenge of crowdfunding scam. Sushant, the elder brother of Prasant, has lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime and Economic Offence police station in Balasore alleging some people have started a fake fundraising campaign on social media platforms and collecting money in the name of helping the terror victim's family. Prashant's family came to know about a Facebook user who had started a fundraising campaign using the victim's name without their knowledge. The user had reportedly shared a mobile phone number and requested the people to transfer the money through UPI. The complaint, a copy of which is with TNIE, alleged the Facebook user was collecting the money and assuring the donors that the entire amount would be handed over to Prasant's family. Sushant provided the mobile phone number and the Facebook ID of the user to the police. 'We did not give consent for any such fundraising campaign. We do not approve of any such activity. Strong action should be taken against anyone raising money in our name,' Sushant told this newspaper. Cyber crime police said they have detained a woman for questioning in the connection. 'At least five to six people have transferred about Rs 18,000 to the person's account. The woman claimed that they had contacted Prasant's younger brother Jayant and informed him about the plan to start the charity drive,' police added. Balasore SP Raj Prasad said, though Prasant's family had not given them the consent, they had started collecting the money using his name. Police are investigating whether the fundraising was being done with genuine intent. 'A woman has been detained in connection with the matter and is being thoroughly interrogated. If any wrongdoing is found, action will be initiated as per the law,' said Balasore SP, Raj Prasad adding the bank account in which the money was being transferred has been frozen. An accounts assistant with Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) in Balasore, Prasant was present at the Baisaran meadows with his wife and nine-year-old son when terrorists attacked. He was shot dead. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had announced '20 lakh ex gratia for the next of kin of Prashant, a native of Isani village in Balasore district.
