Ambala trading app scam case: Delhi man arrested

Ambala: Cybercrime investigators have dismantled a fraudulent investment ring after a local woman was swindled out of Rs 8.9 lakh through a sophisticated mobile application scam.Ambala police arrested Shubham Bansal of Delhi's Burari district on Monday following an intensive digital manhunt. Bansal is accused of posing as a representative for a fake brokerage firm to lure victims into high-yield trading schemes that existed only on their smartphone screens. The scam relied on a combination of social engineering and technical deception. According to investigators, the suspect used a multi-layered approach to gain the victim's trust.The suspect allegedly claimed a false affiliation with "RBK Share Broking Limited", a legitimate-sounding entity. Promising "astronomical" returns, he persuaded the complainant to download a proprietary application titled "Master Trading". Once the app was installed, the victim was prompted to transfer funds for "investments". Police say the suspect extracted Rs 8.92 lakh before the victim realised the application was a hollow shell.The victim filed a formal complaint with the Ambala cybercrime police on Feb 10. Within six days, specialist officers tracked the digital footprint to the suspect's house in Delhi. Bansal was produced before a magistrate on Tuesday and remanded in two days of police custody. Sub-inspector Ravi Kumar has stated that "intensive interrogation" is on to identify accomplices and locate the bank accounts used to launder the cheated funds.A Growing Digital ThreatAmbala superintendent of police Ajit Singh Shekhawat issued a public warning following the arrest, noting that "awareness is the most effective weapon" against an evolving landscape of digital fraud. "We appeal to the public to remain cautious and not fall for online money-making schemes or unsolicited investment offers," Shekhawat said. Authorities have urged citizens to be quick in reporting suspicious digital activity by calling the national cybercrime helpline (1930). Ends MSID:: 128471766 413 |