Ludhiana Residents Tricked Into Opening Mule Accounts Used for Cyber Fraud in Bihar

Ludhiana: A major case of cybercrime manipulation has come to light after several residents of Jawahar Nagar Camp discovered that bank accounts opened in their names were being used for cyber fraud in Bihar.

According to police, fraudsters posing as officials from a nationalised bank visited the Labour Colony in September 2025 and falsely claimed that the Central Government had launched a new welfare scheme. They convinced residents that each new bank account opened under this scheme would receive ₹1,000 per month, collecting Aadhaar copies, photographs, and signatures from unsuspecting locals.

The scam surfaced when multiple residents received summons from Bhagalpur police, accusing them of involvement in cybercrime. Shocked, at least 25 residents approached the Ludhiana Commissioner of Police, alleging that their personal documents had been misused to open “mule accounts.”

Pooja, one of the complainants, said the fraudsters—led by a local resident and a woman—made repeated announcements across the settlement and gathered documents under the pretext of opening government-sponsored accounts. Many residents said they never received passbooks, debit cards, or any official confirmation.

Police investigations revealed that the accounts were opened at the Clock Tower and CMCH branches of a nationalised bank and were later used to channel money gained through cyber frauds.

The case has raised serious concerns as Punjab Police recently identified over 150 active mule accounts across the state, many of them traced back to Ludhiana. The State Cyber Cell has now registered an FIR at the Cyber Crime Police Station under the Ludhiana commissionerate, and further investigations are underway.