📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Information and Public Relations Department, Gover
Crime
Bihar Police Uncover Cyber Scam Using Mule Accounts, 400-500 Rural Bank Accounts Opened
✍️ Amar Ujala · Patna
🗓 26 Sep 2026, 11:45 AM
👁 9
Cyber fraudsters in Bihar opened bank accounts for 400‑500 villagers under the pretext of government schemes, using them as mule accounts for illicit transactions, police said.
Police in Bihar have disclosed a large‑scale cyber fraud in which criminals persuaded hundreds of villagers to open bank accounts, allegedly as part of government benefit schemes. Investigators estimate that between 400 and 500 accounts were created and subsequently used as "mule accounts" to move illicit money across the banking system.
The scheme relied on the trust of rural residents, who were convinced that the new accounts would help them receive subsidies or other scheme benefits. Once the accounts were active, the fraudsters transferred funds into them, often in small, frequent transactions designed to avoid detection.
When the irregular activity was flagged by bank monitoring systems, the state police cyber‑crime unit launched an inquiry. Preliminary findings indicate that the money was being funneled to larger criminal networks, though the exact end‑users remain under investigation.
Authorities have seized relevant digital evidence and are tracing the flow of funds to identify the masterminds behind the operation. The police have warned the public to verify any scheme that requires opening new bank accounts and to report suspicious requests to the cyber‑crime helpline.
The case underscores the growing vulnerability of rural populations to sophisticated online scams and highlights the need for heightened awareness and stronger safeguards in the banking sector.
The scheme relied on the trust of rural residents, who were convinced that the new accounts would help them receive subsidies or other scheme benefits. Once the accounts were active, the fraudsters transferred funds into them, often in small, frequent transactions designed to avoid detection.
When the irregular activity was flagged by bank monitoring systems, the state police cyber‑crime unit launched an inquiry. Preliminary findings indicate that the money was being funneled to larger criminal networks, though the exact end‑users remain under investigation.
Authorities have seized relevant digital evidence and are tracing the flow of funds to identify the masterminds behind the operation. The police have warned the public to verify any scheme that requires opening new bank accounts and to report suspicious requests to the cyber‑crime helpline.
The case underscores the growing vulnerability of rural populations to sophisticated online scams and highlights the need for heightened awareness and stronger safeguards in the banking sector.