Seven Arrested for Using Fake PhonePe App to Defraud Public
Port Blair, June 5: In a major breakthrough, the Cyber Crime Police Station of the Andaman & Nicobar Police has successfully busted a digital payment fraud racket involving the use of counterfeit mobile applications. Seven individuals have been apprehended for their role in orchestrating scams using fake versions of the popular “PhonePe” payment platform.
The fraudsters specifically targeted shopkeepers, auto-rickshaw drivers, and other unsuspecting members of the public. By showing fabricated transaction confirmation screens, they misled victims into believing payments had been successfully made, resulting in significant financial losses.
The operation was spearheaded by a dedicated team led by Inspector Sahil Shamsuddin, SHO, Cyber Crime Police Station, SI Dinesh Kr. Jaiswal, ASI Sanjay Henry, Head constable Bhupender Singh and constables Arun Kr. Yadav, Neelkanth, Manoj, Santosh, Atish, Vikash, HG(R) Gnana Sekar. The team conducted a thorough investigation, collecting critical digital evidence and executing coordinated field operations that led to the swift apprehension of seven accused namely (1) Reehan Rabbani (19) Yrs (2) Muhammed Shariq (19) Yrs (3) Rohit Kumar (20) Yrs (4) Bhodesh Singh (20) Yrs (5) D. Nagamahendra (23) Yrs (6) Hemant Rao (29) Yrs (7) Mohd. Arbaz (21) Yrs, incriminating articles including fake phone pay app was found in the mobile phones seized from the possession of apprehended accused.
The entire operation was conducted under the guidance of Shri. Manish Kumar, DANIPS, DySP (Cyber Crime) under overall supervision of Shri Jeetendra Kumar Meena, IPS, Senior Superintendent of Police (CID).
A case has been registered under FIR No. 23/25 dated 02/06/2025 under sections 318(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Further investigation is ongoing to uncover the full scope of the fraud, including any possible accomplices or online collaborators.
The Andaman & Nicobar Police urge all citizens to exercise caution when accepting digital payments. It is strongly recommended to independently verify transactions via personal mobile banking apps or official notifications, rather than relying solely on screenshots provided by customers.
For more information or to report similar incidents, please contact: Cyber Cell, Port Blair, Phone Number: 03191-230668, Website: www.cybercrime.gov.in