Hyderabad Cyber Crime: Senior Citizen Loses Rs 1.95 Lakh in Sophisticated Auto Driver Phone Theft Scam

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Hyderabad:

The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Unit has successfully apprehended three individuals allegedly involved in a sophisticated scheme where they stole a mobile phone from a 68-year-old passenger and subsequently conducted unauthorized transactions amounting to over Rs 1.95 lakh from his bank account.

The three suspects have been identified as Mohammed Moin Uddin (31), an auto driver, Mohammed Syed Salman alias Sultan (21), a car driver, and Mohammed Hussain (32), who works as a vegetable vendor.

The investigation began when a senior citizen approached the Cyber Crimes Unit with a complaint stating that on September 17, he had lost his phone while traveling in a shared auto-rickshaw from Uppal to Tarnaka. After blocking his SIM card and obtaining a replacement the following day, the victim discovered on September 20 that Rs 1,95,001 had been fraudulently withdrawn from his Union Bank of India account. Authorities immediately registered a case under relevant sections of the IT Act and Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Investigators uncovered a carefully planned operation executed by the three accused. Moin Uddin, who picked up the complainant at Uppal, collaborated with Syed Salman to convince the victim to transfer a small amount via PhonePe. This required the complainant to unlock his mobile phone in their presence. During the transaction, Uddin stealthily stole the mobile phone while Salman distracted the victim, after which they dropped him off.

Immediately following the theft, Uddin and Salman drove to the Medchal-Malkajgiri area and began making unauthorized transfers from the victim's account. They utilized the PhonePe application on the stolen device to scan QR codes at petrol stations and various shops, collecting the cash in person.

The operation also involved money laundering through a gaming platform. On September 20, Uddin and Salman recruited Mohammed Hussain, who used the stolen funds to transfer Rs 90,000 through multiple transactions to bank accounts connected to a gaming platform before withdrawing the money through his personal Federal Bank account.

The fraudulently obtained sum of Rs 1,95,000 was subsequently divided among the three accomplices.

Police have confiscated three mobile phones related to the crime as evidence.

In response to this incident, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime, Hyderabad, has issued a public advisory urging citizens to exercise extreme vigilance, particularly when using shared public transportation and digital payment services.

The advisory emphasized safety measures for passengers using shared autos, recommending that they note the vehicle's number, color, and driver's details, and avoid entering vehicles if they feel suspicious about the occupants.

Victims of cybercrime or financial fraud are encouraged to report incidents by dialing 1930 or filing an online report at https://cybercrime.gov.in/.