Bengaluru, August 5: In a shocking incident, a businessman fell victim to not one but two different scams back to back in Bengaluru, while he was looking to invest in solar energy. Initially lured by an online offer promising solar plant installations, he ended up transferring INR 1.5 crore to a fraudulent group. Realising he had been conned, he sought legal help and stumbled upon another scam. This time, he lost an additional INR 12.5 lakh to a fake legal service firm called "Quickmoto Legal Service" posing as a recovery agency.

As per the Times of India report, after realising he had been scammed again, the businessman filed a complaint on the cybercrime portal, prompting swift action from the Central Crime Branch (CCB). Investigations led to the arrest of Tufail Ahmed alias Chota Ahmed Mubarak, a 27-year-old engineering graduate from Tamil Nadu. Tufail was operating a fake legal assistance centre under the name "India Legal Service" in a house in Kasturinagar, East Bengaluru. The operation involved several tele-callers who contacted victims through VoIP calls using a platform called Zoiper-5. Bengaluru Cyber Heist: INR 378 Crore Stolen As Cryptocurrency Firm Server Hacked; Employee Under Scanner.

The accused duped victims by promising legal help and collecting money online. Police officials revealed that Tufail’s elder brother, currently based in Dubai, is the mastermind behind the racket. Together, the duo set up multiple fake companies under different names to run various online scams. The call centre was found to be well-organised, with a structured setup to trick people seeking legal aid after financial fraud. Victims were assured that their lost money would be recovered in exchange for hefty service charges. Chit Fund Scam in Bengaluru: Kerala Couple Tomy and Shini Varghese Pull Off ‘Phir Hera Pheri’ Style Fraud, Go Missing After Duping Investors of Over INR 100 Crore; Probe Launched.

Payments were collected digitally, making it difficult for victims to trace the culprits immediately. Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh confirmed the businessman’s complaint led to the breakthrough. Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ajay Hilori and DCP Raja Imam Kasim led the investigation, which is still ongoing. Authorities have stated that more arrests are likely, especially of the telemarketers who were actively involved in duping victims.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 05, 2025 06:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).