The Cyber Police Station, Shahdara, has dismantled a gang that posed as Paytm executives to swindle street vendors and small business owners in Delhi, with five accused arrested in connection with a cyber fraud totalling ₹95,000. Police confirmed the arrests on Saturday, 31 October 2026, adding that the gang is suspected of targeting 50 to 60 victims using a near-identical modus operandi.

How the Fraud Was Carried Out

The case was triggered by a complaint from Ramavtar, a vegetable vendor, and registered as FIR No. 55/26 on 26 October at the Cyber Police Station, Shahdara, under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. On 20 October, two individuals approached Ramavtar, introducing themselves as Paytm representatives and offering to resolve his KYC-related issues and upgrade his QR code soundbox.

After gaining his trust, the accused took possession of his mobile phone, using it to execute two unauthorised transactions — ₹50,000 and ₹45,000 — draining a combined ₹95,000 from his account. The approach was deliberate: target small, cash-dependent vendors with limited digital literacy and offer a 'helpful service' to lower their guard.

The Accused and Their Roles

Police identified the five arrested individuals as Juned, 23, a resident of Chhaprauli, Baraut, Uttar Pradesh; Anas, 19, of Sangam Vihar, Wazirabad; Mohit, 24, and Rohit, 19, both from Bhalswa Dairy, North Delhi; and Sumit Kumar, 19, of Aya Nagar, South Delhi.

According to police, two of the accused directly impersonated Paytm executives to approach and defraud victims, while the remaining three allegedly provided bank accounts used to route and withdraw the stolen funds. Notably, a Paytm employee identity card was recovered from Juned's mobile phone — he had reportedly been associated with the company previously, which may have enabled the gang's convincing impersonation.

Investigation and Evidence Recovered

The probe was assigned to Inspector Shweta Sharma, leading a team that included ASI Rajdeep and Head Constables Javed, Deepak, and Narender. The team operated under SHO Vijay Kumar, supervised by ACP Operations Avdhesh Kumar and the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shahdara.

Investigators traced the money trail through bank accounts and reviewed CCTV footage, which led to the arrests. During the operation, police recovered six mobile phones, seven SIM cards, four ATM cards, and three cash withdrawal slips. The accused's bank accounts have been linked to approximately 20 cybercrime complaints registered across India.

Scale of the Racket and Broader Pattern

This comes amid a broader surge in fintech-impersonation frauds targeting India's rapidly expanding but digitally vulnerable micro-merchant base. Criminals exploit the trust that small vendors place in payment platform representatives, particularly around KYC compliance — an area where many vendors feel anxious about account suspension. The Shahdara gang's alleged reach of 50 to 60 victims, and connections to 20 cybercrime cases nationwide, points to a well-networked operation rather than an opportunistic one-off.

Further investigation is currently underway, with police likely to examine whether additional gang members or facilitators remain at large.