The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Fraudsters thrive on misusing bank accounts, SIM cards

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Monday, Sep 06, 2010
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Fraudsters thrive on misusing bank accounts, SIM cards

The accused exploit the lackadaisical attitude of bank managements and of agents selling SIM cards, writes MARRI RAMU

In many fraud cases recently registered under the Information Technology Amendment Act-2008, a pattern of misusing bank accounts and mobile phone SIM cards was found.

After painstaking efforts based on vague leads, the investigators arrested the accused in some cases. Still, offences with similar modus operandi are being reported regularly.

The accused cleverly exploit the lackadaisical attitude of bank managements in granting new accounts and of agents in selling SIM cards without following the rules.

The cases of Sarvesh Nigam, who was accused of duping several people by throwing an online bait of friendship with high-profile women, and Louis Lawrence Nyss, charged with relieving money of the jobless by assuring jobs, abroad are classic examples.

Nigam used to send e-mails randomly to thousands of people luring them to join his club to befriend high-profile women by paying some fee ranging from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 50,000.

Similarly, Nyss released advertisements in newspapers assuring jobs abroad. He would give his mobile phone number to reach him. When a job aspirant rang up, he would ask him to deposit money in a specified bank account. Nyss, as per police records, would withdraw the money immediately and throw away the SIM card and start using another one for the next victim so that he was untraced.

Though different baits are thrown by the accused, they used bank accounts for transfer of money and separate SIM cards for each victim to ensure they were not traced.

Investigators found both managed to open many accounts with two reputed banks after submitting fabricated documents. Even basic norms like the mandatory collection of signatures of those introducing them were not followed.

This apparently suggested connivance of some bank employees.

They purchased bunches of SIM cards either giving fake papers or without presenting any documents. The SIM card sellers never insisted on compliance of basic rules.

In most of the Nigerian fraud cases, the accused adopted this mode.

No action

Despite allowing new accounts without adopting the due procedure and indirectly helping the accused commit the fraud, the police had not initiated action against any bank so far.

Same is the case with the SIM card sellers. Strangely, the Cyberabad police had arrested a person who sold SIM cards after securing documents few months ago in a criminal intimidation case.

With the spurt in such crimes, the police are now trying their bit to bring in changes by writing to bank managements and mobile phone companies. Any delay in taking action would only mean more victims falling prey to such fraudsters.

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