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In a remarkable criminal enterprise that spanned five months, 23-year-old tech whiz Bommaluru Lakshmipati orchestrated a massive cyber heist, exploiting vulnerabilities in Reward360’s loyalty rewards system. Hailing from Chittoor and educated at the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Ongole, Lakshmipati turned to hacking after being denied reward points by a private bank during his college days. This denial fueled his ambition to devise a method to manipulate bank servers, unlocking an almost limitless supply of vouchers.

Lakshmipati’s intricate understanding of digital systems didn’t go unnoticed. His scheme involved siphoning nearly half a million gift vouchers, translating to purchases totaling a monumental Rs 4.16 crore on Amazon and Flipkart. He converted a substantial portion of these vouchers into digital currency, later investing them in precious metals such as gold and silver. This audacious act led to the city police’s most significant haul ever, confiscating 5.269 kg of pure gold bars valued at Rs 3.4 crore.

The police were alerted to this massive breach of security when Reward360 reported unusual losses due to a surge in the premature redemption of gift vouchers, raising suspicions of a cyberattack. A detailed investigation traced back to Lakshmipati, who singlehandedly executed this scheme, distinguishing his approach from other notorious hackers by focusing on tangible assets over cryptocurrencies and steering clear of government websites.

Seized assets from Lakshmipati paint a stark picture of his criminal empire: substantial quantities of gold and silver, considerable e-wallet funds, high-end electronic gadgets, and more. Now in judicial custody, his case highlights the urgent necessity for robust cybersecurity measures to guard against potential threats in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

As businesses and financial institutions reassess their digital defenses, this case serves as a stark reminder of the dark potential lurking in the digital sphere, where expertise meets opportunity, showcasing the pressing need for fortified digital security in safeguarding stakeholders in the modern era.

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