Beware, Cyber criminals threatens victims with criminal cases to loot money
Hyderabad: The scheme deployed by cyber criminals – where you receive a call from telecom officials later that is directed to police, CBI officers, bouncing the call from one fake agency to another and coercing victims to share personal information and later transfering funds- is audacious.
The fraud calls which starts as an unsuspecting one as a call from the Department of Telecommunication/Telecom Regulatory Authority of India or TRAI and informs the potential victim that her/his phone would be disconnected in two hours, instructing her to press 9 to talk to a representative. Without giving much thought or being scared by your phone getting disconnected if you press 9 as instructed by the unknown caller- here starts the actual cyber crime operation.
Mahesh M Bhagwat Additional Director General of police(DGP) Railways and Road Safety, I/C Director Telangana State Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) in an official statement said,“In the second stage Fraudsters force victim to dial 9 unknown caller informs the potential victims on his/her mobile number or Aadhar to get sim cards is being used for anti national fraudulent activities and Harassment texts. Further caller shares information that Mumbai Police or Hyderabad police having an FIR registered against the victim and some FIR number too will be shared”.
He further added in the third stage the call will be transferred to different fake law enforcement agencies and then connect the victim on video call via Skype, where one fake police person in uniform will read the FIR content along with address of complaint and other details. To prevent arrest they will demand a huge amount to transfer online till then Digital arrest they are making and extorting lakhs of rupees.
Don’t pick up calls from any unknown numbers:Mahesh M Bhagwat
With the surge in complaints received regarding these kinds of cybercrime where fraudsters make digital arrest scenarios and force innocent victims to pay them Mahesh M Bhagwat issued a advisory, “For over two months now, numerous citizens and potential victims have been targeted by Cyber criminals impersonating as representatives from the Department of Telecommunication/ Telecom Regulatory Authority of India or TRAI. Don’t pick up calls from any unknown numbers”.
He further added that victims, often women, are informed that their Aadhar card and phone number have been compromised and used for criminal activities. They are then coerced into transferring large sums of money under threat of arrest. Sometimes some undertakings are also being taken by fraudsters from the victims putting them under fear of arrest that they have committed crime by compromising their Adhar card number. Reiterated that not to yield to any monetary or other demand of fraudsters putting you under fear of arrest.