Description

On October 9, 2023, Thane Police reported a significant financial scam involving a breach of the payment gateway owned by Safexpay Technology Pvt Ltd (STPL). This incident uncovered an embezzlement of Rs 16,180 crore, including unauthorized overseas transfers and the Thane Police Cyber Cell is actively investigating this case. The fraudulent activity was brought to light when a complaint indicated that certain individuals had unlawfully accessed STPL's payment gateway, diverting substantial amounts into multiple bank accounts. Approximately Rs 25 crore stolen during this breach was traced to an HDFC Bank account belonging to Real Enterprises, a Thane-based company with branches in the city and Navi Mumbai suburbs. Further examination of Real Enterprises revealed the existence of around 260 accounts across various banks that were used to facilitate this financial deceit. A review of the bank statements associated with these 260 accounts indicated potential misappropriations amounting to a staggering Rs 16,180 crore, with some funds directed to foreign accounts. While the scam is believed to have persisted for some time, it was officially exposed following a complaint filed in April, when over Rs 25 crore was fraudulently siphoned off. Subsequent investigations revealed that this initial Rs 25 crore was just the beginning, as the total scale of this mega-fraud is currently estimated to exceed Rs 16,180 crore, pending ongoing investigation.