Airtel managers arrested for issuing 530 virtual numbers to fraudsters in Indonesia and China

Two Airtel managers, Neeraj Walia and Hemant Sharma, were arrested in Gurugram for allegedly assisting cyber fraudsters by providing virtual phone numbers. The arrests followed a complaint by a woman who lost ₹10,000 in a scam involving fraudulent work-from-home job offers. The victim reported that she was contacted by fraudsters using a phone number with a Gurugram STD code, prompting authorities to launch an investigation that eventually led to the involvement of the Airtel employees.

According to the police, the woman was initially paid ₹200 for posting hotel reviews on a website. Afterward, she was added to a Telegram group where she was instructed to transfer money to various bank accounts. The fraudsters promised high returns for completing these tasks. However, when the victim attempted to withdraw the accumulated funds from her virtual account, her access was restricted. The authorities traced the number used to contact her to Ekamdarsh Services Pvt Ltd, a company listed at an address in Dundahera, Gurugram. Upon investigation, no such company was found at the listed location.

The investigation revealed that Neeraj Walia, responsible for site verification required to issue phone numbers at Airtel, and his team leader, Hemant Sharma, issued a Direct Inward Dialling (DID) virtual landline number to the fraudulent company, which violated Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) regulations. The police discovered that the two managers had issued over 530 virtual numbers to an Indonesian company, which were later provided to Chinese fraudsters as well. These numbers were intended for businesses and call centers but were misused by the fraudsters.

Virtual phone numbers are used by telecom providers to facilitate businesses with a large volume of customer calls. These numbers are typically issued for use within India and are not meant for foreign entities. They are commonly used by services like ride-sharing and food delivery apps. However, the fraudsters exploited these virtual numbers to contact victims, offering fake investment schemes and work-from-home jobs. Authorities are investigating how the fraudsters used these numbers to operate across multiple countries, including China and Indonesia.

Further evidence uncovered during the investigation indicated that Walia and Sharma had issued additional virtual numbers to multiple companies without following proper verification procedures. The police are investigating the legitimacy of these companies and how the numbers were utilized in other fraudulent activities. A joint team of Gurugram police and the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) is currently working to trace the broader network involved in the fraud and assess the scale of the scam.

Airtel has suspended both employees involved in the incident and issued a show-cause notice to them. The company emphasized its commitment to compliance with industry regulations and its code of conduct. The police have seized the mobile phones of the accused managers and filed a case under multiple sections, including sections 318 (cheating), 319 (cheating by impersonation), and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy). The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to uncover more details regarding the fraudulent activities and the companies implicated in the scheme.