Agra-Based Man Arrested for Creating Fake Indian Coast Guard Website

A 28-year-old Agra-based man has been arrested by Noida police for allegedly creating a fraudulent website mimicking the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

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N(caps)oida: A 28-year-old Agra-based man has been arrested by Noida police for allegedly creating a fraudulent website mimicking the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). He also solicited applications for the position of assistant commandant (serviceman). Gaurav Singh, a resident of Kirauli, Agra, was apprehended on Monday after a lengthy investigation as per Times of India.   

According to police reports, Gaurav Singh, an unemployed BSc graduate, had twice failed the ICG entrance examination in 2020. He later pursued a Course on Computer Concepts (CCC) and leveraged his newfound skills to create the deceptive ICG website.   

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The scam came to the attention of authorities on March 12, 2024, when Commandant T Ngamlien, Joint Director of Recruitment at the ICG, filed a formal complaint at the Sector 58 police station. The complaint detailed that the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) had alerted the ICG to the existence of a fake recruitment portal advertising bogus openings for assistant commandant (serviceman).   

According to a report by HT a case was registered under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and the IT Act. Police teams were assembled to track down the suspect, who proved elusive, changing his location multiple times over the past year following cyber cell tip-offs.   

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"After receiving a fresh tip-off, we finally apprehended the suspect at his residence in Agra," stated Amit Kumar, Station House Officer (Sector 58). "He confessed that after failing the ICG exams, he created the fake website in an attempt to make money through fraudulent registrations."

Kumar further revealed that the ICG had detected the website's activity within two weeks of its creation, prompting the initial complaint. "We have examined his bank accounts and found no evidence of financial transactions related to fake appointments. However, the investigation is ongoing," the SHO added.

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The suspect is currently in custody, and authorities are continuing to investigate the extent of the fraud and whether any other individuals were involved.