New Delhi, Oct 12: The Delhi Police Cyber Crime team has busted a cryptocurrency fraud racket operating through Telegram and arrested a 25-year-old man from Punjab who allegedly duped several people by offering fake work-from-home opportunities online.
The accused, identified as Sukhpreet Singh, a resident of Agwar Pona in Jagraon, Ludhiana, was apprehended following a detailed probe into a cyber fraud case registered at the Cyber Police Station, Shahdara, on October 5.
According to officials, the investigation began after a complaint by Sangam Yadav, a resident of Vishvkarma Nagar, Shahdara, who alleged that he was cheated of ₹55,100 through a bogus work-from-home offer.
Yadav told police that he had come across an advertisement on Instagram promising paid online jobs. After clicking on the link, he was redirected to a Telegram group, where a woman—posing as a representative of an online company—offered him small paid tasks, such as providing ratings or reviews.
“At first, the complainant received small payments for completing the tasks, which built his trust,” said a police officer. “However, later he was asked to invest higher amounts for better commissions. Eventually, he deposited ₹55,100 through UPI, and when he tried to withdraw his supposed earnings, he was asked to pay additional charges. That’s when he realized he had been duped.”
Following the complaint, police registered a case under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and began tracing the money trail. Investigators found that ₹29,500 from the defrauded sum had been swapped at a petrol pump in Jagraon, Ludhiana. Using mobile location tracking, the police zeroed in on Sukhpreet Singh.
Upon interrogation, Singh allegedly confessed that he was part of a Telegram group that facilitated USDT (Tether) cryptocurrency transactions. He revealed that he used to purchase USDT at ₹94–₹98 per token and sell it at ₹105 within the group, thereby profiting from illicit funds circulating in the cybercrime network.
Police officials said Singh was aware that the Indian currency he received came from fraudulent sources. “To avoid detection, he used multiple bank accounts and conducted cash withdrawals or swaps at petrol pumps,” the officer added.
During the search operation, police recovered three mobile phones, six SIM cards, and twelve ATM cards from his possession. After being remanded to two days of police custody, Singh has now been sent to judicial custody.
Further investigation has revealed that the defrauded money was funneled into several bank accounts, including one belonging to an Indian Bank account holder who is yet to be traced. The Cyber Crime unit is now coordinating with financial institutions and digital payment platforms to identify other suspects involved in the racket.
Police officials urged citizens to remain cautious about online job offers promising high returns and to verify the authenticity of any such schemes before sharing personal or financial details.
“These scams are increasingly using Telegram and crypto transactions to mask digital footprints,” a Delhi Police spokesperson said. “Public awareness is key to preventing such crimes.”
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