Centre issues alert against illegal payment gateways

     New Delhi, October 28, 2024: The Centre today said recent nation-wide raids by Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh Police have revealed that trans-national criminals have created illegal digital payment gateways using mule or rented accounts.

     These illegal infrastructure, facilitating money laundering as a service, are used for laundering proceeds of multiple nature of cybercrimes, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has warned.

     Indian Cybercrime Coordination Center (I4C), MHA has issued a warning against illegal payment gateways created using mule bank accounts by Transnational Organised Cyber-criminals facilitating money laundering as a service.

     Recent nation-wide raids by Gujarat Police (FIR 0113/2024) and Andhra Pradesh Police (FIR 310/2024) have revealed that trans-national criminals have created illegal digital payment gateways using mule/rented accounts, they said.

     These illegal infrastructure facilitating money laundering as a service are used for laundering proceeds of multiple nature of cybercrimes.

     Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in collaboration with all Law Enforcement Agencies (LWAs), is taking all steps to create a Cyber Secure India, the MHA said.

     As per the information received from State Police Agencies and analysis by Indian Cybercrime Coordination Center, it was identified that the Current accounts and saving accounts are scouted through social media; majorly from Telegram and Facebook. These accounts belong to shell companies /enterprise or individuals.

     These mule accounts are controlled remotely from overseas.

     An illegal payment gateway is then created using these mule accounts are given to criminal syndicates for accepting deposits on illegal platforms like fake investment scam sites, offshore betting and gambling websites, fake stock trading platforms etc.

     Funds are immediately layered to another account as soon as the crime proceeds are received. Bulk Payout facility provided by banks are misused for the same.

     Some of the payment gateways identified during operation are PeacePay, RTX Pay, PoccoPay, RPPay etc.

     These gateways are learnt to be providing Money Laundering as a Service and are operated by foreign nationals.

     I4C has advised citizens not to sell/rent their bank accounts/company registration certificate/Udhyam Aadhaar Registration certificate to anyone. Illicit funds deposited in such bank accounts can lead to legal consequences, including arrest.

     Banks may deploy checks to identify misuse of bank accounts that are used for setting up Illegal Payment Gateways.

     The citizens must immediately report any cybercrime on helpline number 1930 or www.cybercrime.gov.in and follow “CyberDost” channels/account on social media, it advised.