Money Mules Apprehended by CB-CID

The cybercrime cell of Tamil Nadu CB-CID (Crime Branch, Criminal Investigation Department) has recently detained two money mules based in Mumbai (India) for their alleged involvement in netbanking fraud as well as phishing e-mail campaigns in 2009.

As per the reports, Tiruchy-based businessman, named S Salahudeen, lodged a complaint with CB-CID in November 2009, wherein he claimed that Rs 26.55 Lakh had been withdrawn via Internet banking from his bank account.

Following the orders of Archana Ramasundram, ADGP (Additional Director General of Police), three 'money mules' were detained from Bangalore and Chennai. B S Sainath Reddy, one of the key accused was arrested in Hyderabad on March 4, 2010, stated CB-CID in a press release, reported by expressbuzz.com on May 24, 2010.

A team under the command of CB-CID Inspector G Velmurugan apprehended Vinayak Shivaji Khandare, the fourth money mule, from Mumbai, on May 17, 2010, as he obtained an amount of Rs 50,000 from the account of Salahudeen. A CB-CID official said that Khandare was working on the post of an Office Assistant in a reputed private bank in Mumbai, reported by expressbuzz.com on May 24, 2010.

In another case, V Saravanan, a Madurai-based engineer, filed a complaint with the CB-CID in August 2009 claiming that a sum of Rs 75,510 was illicitly transferred from his account via online banking. This happened after he replied to a phishing e-mail that purported to be coming from his bank. He provided his user id, login password and transaction password to that fake e-mail.

The money from Saravanan's account was transferred to accounts in Mumbai and New Delhi. A case was immediately registered by the cybercrime division and investigation started. On May 19, 2010, Mumbai-based I Ibrahim Ansari was detained after the police discovered that he had obtained an amount of Rs 25,000 from Saravanan's bank account on August 22, 2009.

A police officer noted that hackers steal user ids and passwords of people using net banking via phishing e-mails or installing malware on their PCs. They then hire acquaintances through social networking websites and obtain their complete details and transfer the money from victim's account. Finally, after paying commission to the accomplices, hackers withdraw money from these accounts, reported by The Times of India on May 24, 2010.

Related article: Man Sues and Wins against ISP for Spamming Mail

» SPAMfighter News - 6/2/2010