IT Professional Becomes Cyber Fraudster: Ludhiana Police Discover ₹86 Lakh Online Scam

In a major breakthrough, the Ludhiana Police Cyber Cell arrested an IT professional from West Bengal involved in a cyber fraud operation amounting to ₹86 lakh. The accused allegedly orchestrated a phishing and fake website scam that targeted several individuals across Punjab and other states by impersonating government portals and banking platforms. Police stated “the accused used advanced digital tools, spoofed SMS alerts, and cloned websites to trick victims into sharing confidential financial details”. To evade detection, money was transferred into several mule accounts after access was obtained. Authorities said the scam had been active for over a year before being busted Months of investigation, digital monitoring, and cooperation with Delhi and West Bengal cybercrime units led to the arrest. Police found several cell phones, SIM cards, and laptops that contained phishing scripts, cryptocurrency wallets that may have been used for money laundering, and proof of fraudulent transactions.

Despite having professional training in software development, the accused decided to take advantage of his abilities for financial gain, according to the Ludhiana Police Commissioner. Links to a larger cybercrime syndicate have been uncovered by the investigation and interrogation with possible collaborators working in other countries. As the case goes on, more arrests are likely to happen. This case demonstrates the rising worry that tech-savvy professionals are resorting to cybercrime in order to make quick cash. Experts in cybersecurity emphasize the critical need for enhanced cyber literacy, more robust enforcement, and public-private collaboration to counteract emerging threats as the number of cases of digital fraud keeps increasing.