Thane conmen steal identity, execute illegal transactions worth ₹383 crore

In Thane district, Maharashtra, a real estate agent fell victim to a massive fraud scheme where his identity was used for illegal bank transactions worth over ₹383 crore. The 38-year-old man only realized something was wrong when the bank sent him notices about the transactions. Following this, he reported the issue to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in Thane.

How the scam worked

The fraud began in May 2022 when three scammers approached the victim with a job offer. They took his identity documents, including his PAN and Aadhar cards, and used them to open two bank accounts in his name. The scammers also created fake shell companies linked to the victim’s mobile number and email. Over time, they executed a staggering ₹383 crore in illegal transactions through these accounts and companies. 

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Suspicious of these activities, the bank sent notices to the victim, who had no idea about the fraudulent accounts. An FIR was registered by the Kasarwadavli police on Saturday after the victim’s complaint. The police have identified the accused as Deepak Shukla, Rahul Patwa, and Chetan Khade, but no arrests have been made yet. The investigation is ongoing.

This incident highlights the growing issue of identity theft and fraud in banking. Similar scams have occurred recently, including one where a bank deputy manager in Gurugram was arrested for helping cybercriminals open fraudulent accounts. In another case, a man in Bengaluru lost ₹59 lakh after being tricked into thinking he was being investigated for money laundering by scammers pretending to be CBI officers.