Chinese handlers behind cyber frauds under Delhi Police radar

The Chinese handlers linked to cyber fraud networks are under the scanner of Delhi Police, officials on Friday said.

Several cybercrime cases in recent months, according to investigators, have shown a recurring pattern as most of the arrested accused were allegedly working in collaboration with the Chinese nationals or gangs operating from abroad.

Cyber police stations across 15 districts and the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit have found that these foreign handlers remain in contact with their Indian accomplices through encrypted social media applications, said the officer.

“They lure local fraudsters by offering extra money in exchange for SIM cards, bank accounts and other resources essential for executing digital fraud,” he said.

The officer said that the accused were found to have links with the Chinese nationals in most of the recent cases solved by the cyber units.

“All cyber police stations and the IFSO unit are currently working on a coordinated strategy to trace and apprehend the Chinese handlers operating from within India,” he added.

The officer said this emerging pattern of international coordination has prompted a deeper probe into the structure of such fraud modules, particularly those with cross-border links.

Earlier on Thursday, three men were arrested for allegedly duping several people in southwest Delhi by offering money to post positive reviews of hotels and restaurants, and laundering Rs 15.8 lakh to the Chinese handlers through cryptocurrency.

“The arrested accused, Mahender Singh Rajawat (25), Ariph Khan (25) and Laxmi Narayan Vaishy (23), were in direct contact with a Chinese national via an encrypted messaging application,” the officer said.

He added that their modus operandi involved luring victims with small payments for completing simple online tasks such as posting reviews.

The victims were later deceived with false claims such as welfare scheme tasks, account unfreezing or improving credit scores, said the officer, adding the cheated funds were routed through multiple bank accounts converted into USDT (Tether) cryptocurrency, and transferred to China.

In another case, two Punjab-based men were arrested for allegedly duping a woman of Rs 21 lakh in an online investment scam.

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The accused, Pawan (29) from Chandigarh and Mankiraat (36) from Firozpur, had travelled to Nepal in connection with the crime and were allegedly operating under the guidance of the Chinese nationals, said another officer.

“Our teams are working round the clock to identify and arrest these handlers operating from within the country,” said the officer, adding that over 15 such cases are being reported every month.

Efforts are underway to trace the entire network and identify the foreign operatives behind these large-scale cyber frauds, police said.