TL;DR: On September 30, 2026, the Free Press Journal reported that Mandsaur Police arrested six people from Rajasthan and Bihar, including the alleged kingpin, in a gang linked to more than ₹11 crore in cyber fraud across 150+ incidents. In one matrimonial case, a fake “NRI” promised marriage, then said a gift was stuck at customs. A woman paid ₹7.5 lakh.
What happened
The Free Press Journal reports that Mandsaur Police in Madhya Pradesh busted an interstate cyber fraud gang and arrested six suspects, including the alleged kingpin, from Rajasthan and Bihar. Police say the gang used more than 150 mule bank accounts and SIM cards in over 150 cyber fraud incidents involving more than ₹11 crore. These are police allegations; the report does not name the accused.
Officers raided Jaipur, then followed leads to Arwal district in Bihar, where another member and the kingpin were arrested. Mandsaur SP Vinod Kumar Meena said a special team spent nearly two months studying technical evidence, digital chats and bank transactions.
The matrimonial trap
One case from Shamgarh shows how the gang worked through matrimonial websites. According to the report:
- a suspect posing as an NRI contacted a woman and promised marriage;
- he built trust with fake photographs and WhatsApp chats involving purported family members;
- he then claimed a gift sent from abroad was held at customs and asked her to pay customs duty and processing charges into different bank accounts;
- she transferred ₹7.5 lakh before realising she had been cheated.
What police recovered
Police recovered 22 Android phones, 30 SIM cards and five ATM cards, and froze more than ₹8 lakh in various bank accounts. They said most SIM cards came from Agra, Firozabad, Delhi and Bihar, with some SIMs and bank accounts from Bhopal. Gang members allegedly moved between states to withdraw money and destroyed phones, SIMs, passbooks and ATM cards when accounts were frozen, then switched to new ones.
Red flags from this case
- A match who is “abroad” and wants to send you an expensive gift.
- Customs duty, processing fees or “clearance charges” asked from you for a parcel you never ordered.
- Payments requested into several different personal bank accounts.
- Family members who appear only on WhatsApp and never on a proper video call.
Read our guides on spotting a fake matrimonial profile and verifying a matrimonial profile, and see common matrimonial scams in India for other versions of the same script.
If you have already paid
Call 1930 or file at cybercrime.gov.in immediately. Fast reports give banks the best chance to freeze money, as explained in our golden hour guide and matrimonial scam recovery steps. Gangs like this find targets using phone numbers and emails already exposed online, so run our free digital footprint check to see what of yours is visible.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money is the gang linked to?
Police say more than ₹11 crore across over 150 cyber fraud incidents, using 150+ mule accounts and SIM cards.
What was the matrimonial trick?
A fake “NRI” promised marriage, then said a gift from abroad was stuck at customs and asked for duty and processing charges. A woman in Shamgarh paid ₹7.5 lakh.
Where were the arrests made?
Six suspects were arrested from Rajasthan and Bihar, including the alleged kingpin, who was arrested in Arwal district, Bihar.
What should I do if a match asks for customs fees?
Stop. Real gifts do not need you to pay duty to a stranger. Report to 1930 and your bank straight away.
Sources
- Free Press Journal: Mandsaur Police bust interstate cyber fraud gang linked to ₹11 crore scams, six arrested (Sep 30, 2026)
- National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in)