The Cyberabad Police in Hyderabad recently arrested a gang involved in theft, procurement, and sale of sensitive and confidential data of government and important organizations, as well as personal and confidential data of 16.8 crore citizens. The gang was found to be selling information under more than 140 different categories, including details of defense personnel, mobile numbers of citizens, database of students, women and government employees, applicants of loans, insurance, credit or debit card. The gang was also found to be selling a database of WhatsApp and Facebook users, IT employees, PAN card, energy and power sector, among others.
The police seized 12 mobile phones, three laptops, two CPUs, mails and tax invoices of JustDial. Data related to 1.2 crore WhatsApp users was found while information including age, email id, phone number of 17 lakh Facebook users was also unearthed from the suspects who allegedly operated through three registered and unregistered companies, including Data Mart Infotech, Global Data Arts and MS Digital Grow. The accused were selling the data through JustDial and similar platforms.
The suspects were found to be operating by listing queries from individuals who called the toll-free numbers of JustDial and asked for any sector or category related confidential data of individuals. These fraudsters would call those clients and send them samples. If the client agreed to purchase, they made payment and were provided with the data. This data was further used for committing crime, police claimed.
The investigators suspect that the mobile number database of 3 crore individuals was leaked from the telecom service providers and could be used for committing various crimes. Further, credit card and debit cards data of reputed financial institutions were found in possession of the suspects.
Data pertaining to defense and government employees could be used for espionage, impersonation and for serious offenses that could jeopardize national security, said Cyberabad Police Commissioner Stephen Raveendra. “Data of NEET students with their names, father name, mobile number and residence also found with them. The data related to the PAN card is being used to commit a large number of cybercrimes,” he said.
The arrested suspects included Kumar Nitish Bhushan who established a call center in Noida, Uttar Pradesh and collected credit card databases, Kumari Pooja Pal a tele-caller, Susheel Thomar, a data entry operator, Atul Pratap Singh who collected data of credit card holders and sold it, Muskan Hassan who sold data as a mediator, Sandeep Pal who established Global Data Arts and sold customers confidential data to fraudsters who indulge in cyber offenses and Zia Ur Rehman who provided bulk messaging services for promotions and also shared the database.
