A cross-State sweep led from Hyderabad’s tech corridor

Cyberabad Police’s cybercrime unit concluded a focused drive between September 17 and 23 that cut across State lines and converged on online fraud networks targeting residents in Telangana and beyond. The team detected 10 cases and arrested 13 suspects linked to a mix of schemes, predominantly fraudulent online trading, alongside digital arrest fraud, impersonation, and job or part-time job scams.

Key operational outcomes: - 13 arrests linked to rackets with victims in multiple States - 13 mobile phones and 14 SIM cards seized - 370 court-approved refund orders across 113 cases, totaling ₹1.69 crore returned to victims

The results highlight both the breadth of the investigation and the police’s emphasis on restitution through court processes, which helped return blocked funds to complainants.

Inside the fake-trading playbook

A major case in the sweep involved a victim who lost ₹51.65 lakh to a sophisticated trading scam. The approach mirrored tactics seen in recent investment cons, moving from casual online outreach to high-pressure demands on encrypted messaging apps.

How the scam unfolded: - Initial contact came via an online chat where a person posed as an investment advisor. - Conversations shifted to Telegram and WhatsApp, building trust and urgency. - The victim was directed to register on a sham trading website that displayed fabricated account dashboards and profits. - The operators then escalated payment demands labeled as income tax clearance, central bank-related service charges, and VIP account upgrades.

The cycle of false gains followed by fee requests is designed to keep victims paying, while the fake dashboard suppresses doubt until large sums have been transferred.

Money mules and recycled bank accounts

Investigators found that the fraud networks relied on people who knowingly supplied their bank accounts, ATM cards, passbooks, and mobile numbers for commissions. This money-mule layer is critical to siphoning funds and obscuring the trail.

Red flags revealed by the probe: - One bank account linked to the accused appeared across 31 separate cases. - Another account surfaced in 10 cases nationwide.

In the large trading-fraud case, four accused — Kondapalli Suneel Kanth, Penchala Kishore Rachaputi, Rawal Bhupesh, and Kadiyam Raviteja — were arrested as investigators continued to track additional suspects and financial conduits. The repeated use of the same accounts across cases signals organized coordination and points to scalable networks rather than isolated actors.

Restitution gains and enforcement momentum

Beyond arrests, the Cyberabad team emphasized recovery. Courts issued 370 refund orders across 113 cases, allowing ₹1.69 crore to be returned to victims. The combination of seizures, arrests, and court-enabled refunds represents a multi-pronged approach that not only interrupts active scams but also mitigates losses for complainants.

For victims, quick reporting can be decisive: the sooner authorities can place holds on suspect accounts, the greater the chances of clawing back funds before they are layered through additional accounts.

Safeguards for Telangana’s digital users

The cases from the week underline common red flags in scams that prey on investment aspirations and job-seeking anxiety: - Treat unsolicited trading tips or advisor messages on chat platforms and social media as suspicious. - Avoid moving conversations to private messaging apps where verification is harder. - Be wary of platforms that display unusually high or rapid returns or dashboards with guaranteed profits. - Consider any demand for fees labeled as taxes, service charges, or account upgrades on investment platforms a warning sign. - Do not share Aadhaar details, banking credentials, or personal documents with unverified contacts. - Report suspected fraud immediately to 1930 or via www.cybercrime.gov.in.

Why it matters for Hyderabad and Telangana

  • The Hyderabad region’s deep integration with digital services makes residents attractive targets for cyber-enabled crime. Disrupting these networks helps maintain confidence in online trading, payments, and hiring platforms widely used across the city and State.
  • The discovery that certain bank accounts recur across dozens of cases shows how a small set of enablers can multiply harm. Targeting mule networks is therefore as critical as catching the front-end scammers.
  • The scale of restitution — ₹1.69 crore returned — indicates growing institutional capacity to swiftly secure court orders and route back funds, which can deter future crimes by reducing illicit profits.

What’s next

Cyberabad Police continue to pursue the remaining suspects, map the flow of funds, and identify additional accounts and devices tied to the clusters uncovered this week. As more evidence is consolidated, further arrests and refund orders are likely. Public vigilance remains a key force multiplier: rapid reporting and refusal to engage with unsolicited investment or job offers can sharply reduce the success of these schemes.