Lucknow: Losing a mobile phone can now mean losing your entire bank balance. In a disturbing trend flagged by Lucknow Police, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting phones not for resale, but to access victims’ digital identities and financial accounts.The modus operandi surfaced after the Cyber Crime Cell busted an organised gang that allegedly used stolen SIM cards to siphon off money from bank accounts linked to UPI and digital wallets. Five accused were arrested on Friday.Police recovered 14 stolen mobile phones (11 Android, three keypad), two SIM cards, a Swift Dzire car, a motorcycle, Rs 8,358 cash and multiple identity documents.ADCP Crime Kiran Yadav said that according to police, the gang went beyond simple theft. After stealing phones — often from elderly victims or commuters in crowded markets and isolated stretches — they removed the SIM cards and inserted them into devices under their control. Since the number remained linked to banking and payment apps like PhonePe, Paytm, MobiKwik and UPI Lite, the accused could reset credentials and access accounts.They allegedly transferred money into mule accounts opened using fake identities and withdrew cash via ATMs and Jan Seva Kendras using QR-based transactions before splitting the proceeds.ADCP Crime Kiran Yadav said, “This racket shows a clear shift — mobile theft is no longer about selling devices. Criminals are targeting SIM-linked digital ecosystems to directly access victims’ bank accounts. A delayed response from victims often gives them a critical window to drain funds.”The investigation began after Amber Lal of Daulatpur reported his keypad phone was snatched on March 1, 2025, following which Rs 3.91 lakh was siphoned off from his SBI account. A probe into similar complaints led police to the gang.The arrested accused — Ram Swaroop Maurya, Amit Kumar, Subhash alias Chhotu, Puttilal and Ramu Rawat — are all from Sitapur. Two cases involving Rs 3.91 lakh and Rs 4.28 lakh withdrawals have been confirmed so far, with more under scrutiny.
