Delhi Police Arrest Two In International SIM Box Fraud And Digital Arrest Scam Case

The Delhi Police’s Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit has busted an international cybercrime module involved in a SIM box fraud network, arresting two individuals from East Delhi in connection with a large-scale “digital arrest” scam and cross-border financial fraud operation.

According to police officials, the arrests were made during “Operation CyHawk 4.0,” conducted between April 6 and 7, after investigators traced an illegal SIM box setup operating from GD Colony in Mayur Vihar Phase-III. The system was allegedly being used to convert international VoIP calls into local Indian mobile calls, allowing foreign fraudsters to impersonate authorities while targeting victims.

The syndicate is believed to have links to Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries, where handlers reportedly coordinated scams involving impersonation of law enforcement agencies such as the police, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Customs. Victims were allegedly intimidated with threats of arrest based on fake FIRs and coerced into transferring money into so-called “RBI-mandated accounts” under the guise of verification.

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Police identified the arrested accused as Vaibhav Raj (29) and Anil Kumar (28). Officials said Raj handled the technical aspects of the operation, including the SIM box setup, internet configuration, and communication routing systems, while Kumar managed logistics, finances, premises, and coordination of SIM cards and devices used in the fraud network.

During raids across the Delhi-NCR region, investigators recovered a 32-slot active SIM box, more than 350 SIM cards, mobile phones, a laptop, networking equipment, and documents linked to bank accounts and courier transactions. Authorities also found evidence suggesting the use of remote access applications such as AnyDesk to assist overseas operators in controlling fraudulent activities.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the accused were acting under instructions from handlers based in Mumbai and possibly abroad, pointing to a wider transnational cybercrime syndicate. Officials are currently tracking the financial trail, with at least three cases already linked to a bank account used in the scam.

Police have issued a public advisory warning against “digital arrest” scams, urging citizens not to fall for threats made over phone calls by individuals impersonating government officials. Authorities reiterated their zero-tolerance policy toward cybercrime and confirmed that further investigation is ongoing to identify additional members of the network and dismantle its wider operations.

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