‘SIM card swap’ scam: Malware-infected email used to clone accountant’s personal details in Rs 50-lakh fraud against Ghatkopar firm, say police

TWO YEARS after a Ghatkopar-based company was duped of Rs 50 lakh in an alleged cyber fraud, police have arrested three persons, who helped prime culprits in the scam. Interrogation of the trio has revealed how the scam called ‘SIM card swap’, which targeted several companies in the city over the past few years, is carried out, police said, adding that they have also learnt that malware-infected mass emails sent to big business houses helped fraudsters, against hacking as was earlier believed to be the case.

Last week, a team from the Mumbai Crime Branch, led by Assistant Inspector Anand Bagde, received a tip-off that a Mira Road resident, identified as Sandeep Gautam (37), who helped the fraudsters in the scam and fled to his village, had returned. Police arrested him and, based on his interrogation, two more persons were arrested and handed over to the Ghatkopar police station.