Patna Cyber Police have busted an alleged organised cybercrime racket involved in digital arrest scams, financial fraud and online cheating, arresting three accused. Police said the suspects allegedly targeted victims across several states and were linked to a wider cybercrime network.

During the operation, investigators recovered six mobile phones, two laptops, three cheque books, two passbooks and five ATM cards, along with other electronic devices and banking documents.

Three Accused Arrested

The arrested accused have been identified as Gaurav Kumar, a resident of New Colony in Khagaul-Danapur; Adarsh Kumar of Transport Nagar; and Aman Raj of Kumhrar. According to police, the three were allegedly connected to an organised cybercrime network operating across different parts of the country. Preliminary investigation also revealed multiple complaints related to cyber fraud against them.

Cybercrime Complaints Helped Trace Suspects

Police said several complaints concerning the accused were found on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal. Analysis of these complaints, along with digital evidence collected during the investigation, helped investigators trace the suspects and establish their alleged links with the racket.

Technical surveillance and examination of digital evidence played a key role in the investigation. Investigators analysed suspected mobile numbers, electronic devices and other digital activities before identifying and tracing the accused. The seized mobile phones and laptops have now been sent for detailed examination to identify additional suspects, victims and possible financial transactions.

Phones, Laptops And Banking Documents Seized

Police suspect that bank accounts and documents recovered from the accused may have been used to receive and transfer money obtained through cyber fraud. The three cheque books, two passbooks and five ATM cards are being examined to establish the flow of funds and identify accounts allegedly linked to the racket. Investigators are also examining the electronic devices for communication records, transaction details and other digital evidence.

How Digital Arrest Scams Work

The investigation is also focused on determining how the accused allegedly carried out digital arrest scams. In such frauds, cybercriminals typically impersonate police officers, central investigation agencies, bank officials or other government authorities and threaten victims with arrest or legal action. The victims are then kept under constant pressure through phone or video calls and are allegedly persuaded to transfer money on the pretext of verification, investigation or avoiding arrest.

FIR Registered, Investigation Expanded

An FIR has been registered at Patna Cyber Police Station, and the investigation has been expanded to determine the complete structure of the alleged network. The three accused were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody. Police are now examining the seized electronic devices and banking records to establish the roles played by the accused and identify other members of the network.

Investigators are also trying to determine the total amount allegedly siphoned off by the racket and the number of victims who may have been targeted. Since complaints have surfaced from different parts of the country, authorities are examining whether the suspects were operating independently or as part of a larger network involving multiple handlers, bank accounts and money-transfer channels.

Expert Warns Against Digital Arrest Scams

Cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said digital arrest scams combine technology with psychological manipulation. Victims are often kept under intense pressure and made to believe that immediate action is required to avoid arrest or other legal consequences. People should independently verify any such claim through the official contact details of the concerned department and should never transfer money merely because someone threatens them with arrest over a phone or video call.

Patna Cyber Police said the investigation remains underway. Further action will follow after the roles of other suspected members are established. Investigators are also analysing the digital and banking evidence recovered during the operation to determine the actual scale of the alleged fraud, trace the money trail and identify additional victims and associates connected to the network.

Two Ahmedabad businessmen lost a combined ₹6.79 lakh after allegedly falling victim to a cyber fraud involving fake traffic e-memo messages. In separate incidents reported from Isanpur and Baherampura, fraudsters used vehicle numbers in messages to make the alerts appear genuine and allegedly gained access to the victims’ mobile phones after they opened the links.

How Did The Isanpur Businessman Lose ₹4.58 Lakh?

Kunal Batukbhai Prajapati, 38, who runs Kunal Infotech in Isanpur, received a message from an unknown number regarding a ₹1,000 traffic memo linked to vehicle number GJ27AP6801.

Prajapati clicked on the link included in the message but did not make any payment. Soon afterwards, his phone began receiving repeated OTP messages from different numbers.

Later that night, he received alerts about several transactions from his bank account. He discovered that ₹4.58 lakh had been withdrawn through six transactions.

What Happened After The Fraud Was Detected?

After realising what had happened, Prajapati switched off his mobile phone and contacted the 1930 cybercrime helpline. He subsequently filed a complaint at the Isanpur police station.

How Was A Baherampura Resident Duped Of ₹2.21 Lakh?

In the second incident, a 48-year-old Baherampura resident received a WhatsApp message from an unknown sender claiming that an e-challan was pending against his two-wheeler.

The message contained his vehicle number and a link related to the alleged challan. When he opened the link, an application was downloaded onto his phone.

How Did The Fraudsters Gain Access To The Bank Account?

The man realised something was wrong only after receiving bank transaction alerts the following day. On checking his account, he found that ₹2.21 lakh had been taken out through multiple transactions.

The complaint alleges that the application gave the fraudsters access to the mobile phone, after which they carried out unauthorised transactions.

How Does The Fake E-Memo Scam Work?

The fraud begins with a message designed to look like an official traffic notice. Fraudsters use a vehicle owner’s registration number and claim that a fine, often for ₹500 or ₹1,000, remains unpaid.

The message contains a link directing the recipient to supposedly clear the fine. Instead of making a legitimate payment, victims may be prompted to download an APK application.

Once installed, such an application can potentially gain access to SMS messages and other information on the device. This can allow criminals to obtain sensitive banking information, including OTPs, and carry out transactions without the victim immediately noticing.

Both Ahmedabad cases were reported after the victims noticed unauthorised withdrawals. They contacted 1930, the cybercrime helpline, and approached the respective police stations.

What Should Vehicle Owners Do After Receiving Such Messages?

Cyber crime experts have urged citizens to be cautious about traffic fine messages received from unknown numbers and to avoid opening suspicious links or installing applications sent through such messages.

Google has introduced its Fairwind Cybersecurity Program to provide advanced cybersecurity support to government entities, Google Cloud customers and partner organizations, with a focus on identifying, addressing and mitigating cyber threats.

What Is Google’s Fairwind Cybersecurity Program?

The program is designed to help organizations respond to evolving cyber threats, including automated attacks, software vulnerabilities and increasingly sophisticated threat actors. Google said the initiative will provide access to advanced artificial intelligence capabilities to assist security teams in detecting and responding to threats more efficiently.

The focus extends across both public and private organizations, with the aim of strengthening their ability to protect digital infrastructure from cyberattacks.

How Will Fairwind Help Organizations Tackle Cyber Threats?

A key component of Fairwind is access to Google’s Gemini AI models. The models are intended to support cybersecurity operations and help organizations proactively defend their information technology infrastructure.

Security teams can use AI capabilities to analyze large volumes of data, identify potential weaknesses and respond to emerging threats more quickly. The program could be particularly relevant for government agencies and critical infrastructure operators, where cyberattacks could disrupt essential services and expose sensitive information.

How Will Gemini AI Support Cybersecurity Operations?

Fairwind is also expected to focus on identifying and fixing vulnerabilities across public and private organizations. Instead of relying only on traditional, reactive cybersecurity measures, the initiative emphasizes prevention and continuous protection.

The approach is intended to help participating organizations identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors, strengthening their overall security posture.

What Technologies Will Google Use Under Fairwind?

According to the program’s planned capabilities, Fairwind will incorporate Gemini 3.8 Flash Cyber along with CodeMender Harness to support vulnerability remediation at what Google describes as an agentic scale.

These capabilities are intended to automate parts of the vulnerability-patching process, potentially allowing organizations to address security weaknesses more quickly and efficiently.

Google Announces Wider Cybersecurity Investment

Alongside the Fairwind announcement, Google has released its U.S. Cybersecurity Impact Report, outlining the company’s broader investments in cybersecurity. The report details a $100 million global cybersecurity initiative aimed at improving cyber resilience among organizations and communities.

As part of this investment, approximately $36 million has been allocated to 35 cyber clinics. These clinics are intended to provide cybersecurity assistance to organizations that may have limited resources while facing significant cyber risks.

Which Organizations Will Benefit From Google’s Cybersecurity Support?

The cyber clinics are expected to support organizations in responding to cyber risks, including helping healthcare organizations recover from cyberattacks and assisting municipal utilities in strengthening their defenses against sophisticated threats, including state-sponsored threats.

Google’s broader cybersecurity efforts reflect the growing importance of cooperation between technology companies, governments and other organizations as digital systems become increasingly important to healthcare, utilities, public administration and other essential services.

With the Fairwind Cybersecurity Program and its wider cybersecurity investments, Google is combining artificial intelligence, automated vulnerability remediation and direct support for organizations as part of a more proactive approach to cyber defense.

The Road Ahead

As cyber threats become faster and more automated, manual security responses simply can’t keep up. Google’s fusion of agentic AI patching and direct community support offers a glimpse into the future of digital defense—where threats are stopped before they ever cause damage.