Lucknow Cyber Crime Cell Busts Fake Bank Sites & Apps Scam; Two Arrested

August 8, 2025, Lucknow — In a bold move against online fraud, the Lucknow Commissionerate Police and the Cyber Crime Cell arrested two people for running a complex scam that used phony Android apps and banking websites. After a victim from Lucknow complained, two 28-year-old class 11 dropouts from Delhi’s Badarpur area, Rahul Lakheda and Vikas Kumar, were arrested on August 6.

The defendants had created fake credit card and bank portals. They pretended to be customer care service representatives and approached victims with offers like insurance activations, credit limit increases, or urgent account verifications and KYC. They sent links to these fraudulent apps via SMS and WhatsApp, and after they were installed, they fooled victims into entering private information like credit card numbers and one-time passwords.

With the help of the stolen information, the two were able to use the victims’ cards to make illegal purchases, mostly of electronics and cell phones. After being delivered to drop locations, these devices were sold on Delhi’s black market with bills to hide the money’s source.

After Jitendra Kumar, a resident of Sarojini Nagar, Lucknow, reported losing ₹1.60 lakhs to such a scam, the case gained attention. With the use of digital forensics and technical surveillance, the investigators were able to track down the criminals in Delhi and apprehend them.

A laptop, two routers, a printer, twenty-four SIM cards that were still active, twenty-five cell phones, and ₹41,250 in cash were taken by the police. The incident highlights the need to respond to unsecured communications with vigilance and the growing problems of cyber fraud. Investigators are still looking into the accused’s possible ties to larger fraud networks.