Police in Greater Noida have busted an interstate cyber fraud gang accused of cheating people of crores of rupees by promising subsidized home and business loans under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). Six accused have been arrested in a joint operation conducted by Bisrakh Police and the Cyber Cell. The gang allegedly used social media platforms to trap victims with fake government loan schemes.
According to police officials, the accused had been operating from Greater Noida and targeting people across the country through online advertisements. They posted attractive ads on Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms, claiming to provide low-interest loans under government subsidy schemes. Unemployed youth, small business owners, and financially distressed individuals were among the primary targets of the fraud network.
Arrests Made From Krishna County Society
DCP Central Noida Shailendra Singh said the police acted on confidential intelligence and manual surveillance. The accused were arrested from the rooftop of Tower-A at Krishna County Society in Sector-1, Greater Noida. The arrested individuals have been identified as Dharamraj Rathore, Ravi Kumar, Kishan Rathore, Akshay, Kiran Nayak, and Kiran Babu.
Investigation revealed that all six accused are originally from Karnataka’s Bijapur and Vijaypur regions. They were reportedly living in Greater Noida on rent while running the cyber fraud operation. Police are now investigating whether more people were involved in the racket and how widely the network was spread across different states.
Victims Trapped Through Fake Loan Advertisements
Police investigation found that the gang used fake advertisements related to government schemes on social media. The ads claimed that subsidized home and business loans under PMEGP could be approved quickly at extremely low interest rates. Once a user clicked on the advertisement, contact details of the accused appeared on the screen.
Members of the gang then introduced themselves as authorized loan officers connected to government schemes. They spoke professionally to gain the trust of victims and allegedly used fake documents and government-style branding to appear legitimate.
Fraud Committed In Name Of Processing Charges
After convincing victims, the accused demanded money under different heads such as file charges, processing fees, insurance, NOC fees, GST, and other formalities. According to police, the gang collected between ₹2 lakh and ₹4 lakh from each victim. Payments were transferred into multiple bank accounts to make tracking difficult.
Once the money was received, the accused either switched off their mobile phones or continued delaying victims with false promises and excuses. Many victims reportedly waited for months hoping their loans would be approved before realizing they had been cheated. Police intensified the investigation after receiving multiple complaints from different states.
Police Issue Warning Against Online Loan Scams
Police officials have urged people not to blindly trust loan advertisements circulating on social media. Citizens have been advised to verify all government schemes only through official websites and authorized institutions. Authorities also warned against transferring money to unknown individuals or accounts without proper verification.
Investigators are currently examining the accused persons’ bank accounts, mobile phones, and digital devices. Initial findings indicate financial transactions worth crores of rupees. Police believe more revelations are likely in the coming days and efforts are underway to identify additional members linked to the cyber fraud racket.
