MUMBAI: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe has uncovered a sophisticated online cyberfraud network that duped hundreds of Indians by running a fake website impersonating the official Kuwaiti e-visa portal, issuing 433 fraudulent e-visas and bogus job appointment letters in exchange for payment, officials said.
The scam, allegedly active between September 2024 and March 2025, operated through a cloned domain under the name ‘eservicemoi-Kw’, closely resembling the legitimate portal of Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior that administers the country’s e-visa system, according to CBI sources.
The fraud came to light after the agency initiated a preliminary enquiry in June 2025, following information that unidentified Indian nationals were allegedly operating a deceptive website promising employment in Kuwait and facilitating the issuance of fake e-visas.
433 fake e-visas issued, victims nationwide
Investigators have so far identified that 433 fraudulent Kuwaiti e-visas were issued to 431 Indian nationals via the counterfeit portal. The CBI said operatives of the network reportedly advertised contact numbers on social media platforms and engaged potential victims by promising lucrative positions in reputed Kuwaiti firms in return for fees.
Once convinced, victims were asked to share copies of their passports and personal details. The suspects then sent forged job appointment letters and counterfeit e-visas to reassure victims before demanding payments through banking channels, officials said.
CBI raids 35 locations; key operative arrested
Last Friday, the CBI conducted extensive searches at locations linked to the network in New Delhi, Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Karnataka, as well as other states including Maharashtra. Authorities seized laptops, mobile phones and computer hard disks containing what are believed to be fake e-visas and appointment documents. Investigators also recovered ₹60 lakh in cash from one of the suspects.
A key accused, Suraj Srivastava, was arrested during the searches. The operations form part of a wider crackdown by the CBI on three cyber-fraud syndicates targeting Indians and expatriates with similar schemes, the agency said.
Based on the enquiry findings, the CBI registered a formal case last Wednesday against alleged network members R Gupta, Rajitha CV and several unknown individuals. The FIR includes charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery intended for cheating, using forged documents as genuine, and cheating by personation using communication devices or computer resources under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act.