The Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department has apprehended a cyber-fraud network that impersonated members of the Telugu Desam Party’s NRI outreach wing to deceive individuals searching for urgent assistance. The group relied on the photograph of state IT Minister Nara Lokesh as a display image to give the illusion of political affiliation and credibility. By doing this, they created an aura of authority and trustworthiness, convincing vulnerable people that they were genuine representatives coordinating humanitarian support.
Officials explained that the accused monitored multiple social media platforms, particularly spaces where individuals posted urgent requests for medical help or financial assistance. They used hashtags associated with well-known political figures and philanthropic efforts to search for potential victims. Once they identified someone seeking support, the fraudsters approached them through WhatsApp using numbers that appeared to originate from the United States, giving the impression of international outreach and NRI support involvement.
After establishing contact, the group collected detailed personal information from the victims, including bank account credentials and medical documentation. To gain trust, they falsely claimed that large financial transfers—often as much as ten lakh rupees—had already been approved and sent. They provided fabricated screenshots that resembled legitimate transaction receipts, leading the victims to believe their funds were already on the way and only pending final clearance.
The fraudsters then took an additional step to reinforce the deception. They called victims again, pretending to be bank officials and demanding a small percentage of the supposed transfer amount as a processing or remittance fee. This fee, they claimed, was necessary to clear the funds and complete the transaction. By the time victims realised the receipts were fake and the transfer never existed, the fraudsters had disappeared with the payment.
CID investigators revealed that the group successfully cheated multiple individuals, including a victim from Vijayawada who lost more than two lakh rupees. Further inquiry uncovered that the accused had long been involved in similar offences, with connections to several cybercrime cases both in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Authorities also discovered links to additional fraud cases in Telangana involving financial losses amounting to more than fifty lakh rupees.
In light of the investigation, officials issued a public advisory urging people to exercise caution when approached by individuals claiming to represent political parties or offering financial help online. The CID emphasised the importance of verifying identities and refraining from sharing personal or banking information without proper authentication. The case serves as another reminder of the increasing sophistication of cyber-fraud tactics and the necessity of reporting suspicious messages or financial requests immediately to law enforcement to prevent further victimisation.
