Detective Branch (DB) Cyber and Special Crime (North) Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has arrested two members of an organised fraud ring for allegedly embezzling lakhs of taka by posing as prison guards and lawyers.
The arrests were announced on Friday in a press release issued by the DMP. The suspects have been identified as Md Abdus Salam, 49, and Md Suruj, 26.
According to the DB, the suspects colluded over a long period to collect mobile numbers of local public representatives from various areas using government websites.
They would then call these representatives to tactfully gather details about local accused persons in those areas.
After obtaining this information, the suspects contacted the families of the accused. One of the suspects would introduce himself as “Prison Guard Saiful” of Kashimpur Jail main gate.
He would inform the family that their relative’s bail had been secured, not through their designated defence lawyer, but through “Siraj,” a lawyer representing a human rights organisation.
To facilitate the fraud, the suspect would provide the mobile phone number of his accomplice, who posed as the human rights lawyer. When the victim’s family called, the accomplice would speak softly, confirming that bail had been granted.
He would claim that court formalities had to be completed urgently because his time was limited.
The victims were then instructed to send money to a bKash personal number at a nearby shop. Once the funds were transferred, the fraudster would cash out the money, switch off the mobile phone, and immediately flee the area where the shop was located.
DB sources said the unique scam came to their attention during the investigation of a bKash and Nagad MFS fraud case filed at Hatirjheel Police Station on 1 July. Investigators subsequently identified the gang members using information technology.
On Thursday at 3:50pm, a team from the DB Cyber and Special Crime (North) Division conducted a drive in Kaliganj Police Station area of Gazipur district and arrested the two suspects.
Three mobile phones used in the commission of the fraud were recovered from their possession.
The arrested individuals, who already face multiple fraud charges, have been sent to court. Law enforcement operations are ongoing to identify and arrest other members of the ring and to recover the embezzled funds.
Meanwhile, the DB has advised citizens not to engage in financial transactions based on the word of strangers without thorough verification.
The police urged the public to contact law enforcement to verify identities if they have any doubts online or over the phone, and to report incidents of fraud immediately.
