Hyderabad constable thwarts FedEx parcel fraud saves Rs 18 lakhs in 11 minutes
Hyderabad: The Cyber Crime Police of Hyderabad City has achieved a significant milestone in their fight against cyber fraud by saving Rs 18,00,000 (eighteen lakh rupees) from a FedEx parcel scam within a remarkable timeframe of 11 minutes.
The prompt action came after a 31-year-old software employee from Amberpet, Hyderabad, reported being a victim of cyber fraud. The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, received a call from an unknown person posing as a representative of FedEx Courier Agency.
The caller falsely claimed that the victim’s Aadhar card had been used to transport illegal drugs from Mumbai to Iran. The scammer threatened the victim with dire consequences unless he contacted Mumbai Cybercrime via Skype.
To further deceive the victim, the fraudsters sent forged documents and demanded money for verification. As the victim had no money in his account then, the perpetrators convinced him to take a personal loan from his bank and transfer the funds to the ‘Ministry of Finance’ as part of the verification process, assuring him that the amount would be reversed later.
Believing their lies, the victim transferred Rs 18,00,000 from his ICICI bank account. However, the transaction was never reversed, raising the victim’s suspicions.
On June 27th, 2024, at around 6:58 p.m., the victim approached the Cyber Crime Police Station in Hyderabad and reported the incident to Duty Constable N Srikanth Naik, who manages the NCRP portal for Hyderabad City. With commendable swiftness, Constable Naik registered the complaint online on the NCRP portal and immediately contacted both the victim’s ICICI Bank and the suspect’s bank.
Fortunately, both banks responded promptly to Constable Naik’s request, and by 7:09 PM, they had successfully blocked the fraudulent transaction, safeguarding the entire amount of Rs 18,00,000 in the associated account. This entire sequence of events unfolded within a remarkable span of just 11 minutes.
Public advisory to stay vigilant
In light of this incident, the Cyber Crime Police urges all citizens to remain vigilant and take proactive measures to safeguard themselves against cyber fraud. Here are some crucial pointers to remember:
• Always verify the source of any unsolicited calls, messages, or emails before sharing personal or financial information.
• Law enforcement officials do not initiate contact via Skype and demand money transfers to resolve issues. They also never deposit money into unknown bank accounts based on false promises from unknown individuals.
• Beware of dubious investment returns offered by fraudsters. Avoid trading stocks or investing money in unregistered applications or groups.
• Refrain from installing unverified APKs on your mobile phone.
• Do not engage with individuals or groups offering unsolicited part-time jobs on social media or messaging apps. Scammers often lure victims with small initial payments before vanishing with their money after gaining their trust.
• Never share sensitive information like bank account details, passwords, or social security numbers with strangers or unverified entities.
Victims of cyber financial fraud are advised to report the incident immediately by dialing 1930 or visiting cybercrime.gov.in.
Tata Institute of Social Sciences withdraws contract termination for 55 faculty, 60 non-teaching staff
Hyderabad: In a significant turnaround, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has withdrawn its decision to terminate the contracts of 55 faculty members and 60 non-teaching staff across its four campuses. These individuals, employed under programs funded by the Tata Education Trust (TET) for specific durations, were initially notified of their contract discontinuation due to funding constraints.
However, following constructive discussions with the Tata Education Trust (TET), the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has received assurances of financial support. The TET has committed to releasing necessary funds to cover the salaries of project and program faculty, as well as non-teaching staff.
In a letter dated June 28, 2024 (Admn/5(1) TET-Faculty & Staff/2024), addressed to all affected TET Program faculty and non-teaching staff, TISS officially retracted the termination notices. The institute has requested all staff to resume their duties immediately, assuring them that salaries will be disbursed promptly upon receipt of the TET Support Grant.
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), established in 1936 as a Deemed University and fully funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of the Government of India, is currently governed by the TISS Society in accordance with mandates from the University Grants Commission.
