Fraud Awareness: Fraud Stories | The History and Evolution of Fraud | Latest highly deceptive online scams

 

Exposed to Scams | Be Aware of Scams | Internet fraud | Business scams | Fraud Alert



We are talking here about Examples of Social Media Scams, What to Know About Romance Scams and Protecting against online scams, phishing, and identity theft. You can find Scam, Fraud Alerts - Protect Your Digital Identity and Financial Scams Targeting Older Adults. We will discuss here about Be Aware of Scam (Fake) Phone Calls & Emails and Job scams that start on social media: Appointment Setters.



Fraud Awareness: Fraud Stories




Frauds/Scams Articles: धोखाधड़ी/घोटालों से संबंधित लेख

 

Awareness: जागरूकता

 

Disclaimer: This blog does not have any concerned of the articles posted here, articles are copied and pasted as it is from various news web links: इस ब्लॉग का यहां पोस्ट किए गए लेखों से कोई संबंध नहीं है, लेख विभिन्न समाचार वेब लिंक से कॉपी और पेस्ट किए गए हैं।

 


Click here for Fenugreek: Benefits of Fenugreek | Benefits and Side Effects of Fenugreek

 


General Awareness through Social Media Scam Tactics

·        How to Identify Common Scams?

·        Signs of an Online Investment Scam

·        What to do if you think you've been scammed?

·        How to Report a Scam?

·        Latest Fraud Trends

·        Can the Government Help with Scams?

·        Common Scams in Your City

·        How to Report a Scam to Local Authorities?

·        Is Lottery a Legitimate Company?

·        Phishing Email Examples

·        How to Avoid Romance Scams

·        Warning Signs of a Pyramid Scheme

·        Recovering Money Lost in a Tech Support Scam

·        Protecting Yourself from Credit Card Fraud

·        Is [Investment Opportunity] Real or a Scam?

·        What Happens if I Report A Scam?

·        Can I Get My Money Back After A Scam?

·        How Do I Protect My Personal Information From Scams?

·        What Are The Different Types Of Investment Scams?

·        Should I Click On This Link (Phishing Email Example)?

·        Who Can I Trust With My Financial Information?

·        Grandparent Scam Awareness for Seniors

 


Frauds and Scams: Protecting Yourself in a Digital Age

In today's digital age, frauds and scams have become increasingly sophisticated and widespread, posing significant threats to individuals and businesses alike. Understanding common types of scams and how to protect yourself is crucial for maintaining your security and peace of mind.

 

Common Types of Scams


1.   Phishing Scams Phishing scams involve fraudsters sending deceptive emails or messages that appear to come from legitimate sources. These messages often contain links to fake websites designed to steal your personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.


2.   Investment Scams Promising high returns with little to no risk, investment scams lure individuals into fraudulent schemes. These can include Ponzi schemes, where returns are paid to earlier investors using the capital from new investors, and fake cryptocurrency investments.


3.   Tech Support Scams In tech support scams, fraudsters pose as technical support agents from reputable companies. They convince victims that their computers have viruses or other issues and charge fees for unnecessary services or gain remote access to sensitive information.


4.   Lottery and Prize Scams Victims are informed that they have won a lottery or prize they never entered. To claim the winnings, they are asked to pay taxes or fees upfront, but the prize never materializes.


5.   Romance Scams Scammers create fake profiles on dating sites and social media to establish relationships with victims. Once trust is built, they fabricate emergencies and request money from their victims.

 


How to Protect Yourself?


1.   Be Skeptical Always question unsolicited messages and offers that seem too good to be true. Verify the legitimacy of the sender or company before providing any personal information or making payments.


2.   Secure Your Information Use strong, unique passwords for your accounts and enable two-factor authentication where possible. Avoid sharing personal details on social media that could be used to answer security questions.


3.   Educate Yourself Stay informed about the latest scams and fraud tactics. Regularly review resources from trusted organizations such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).


4.   Report Scams If you encounter a scam, report it to relevant authorities like the FTC or local consumer protection agencies. Reporting can help prevent others from falling victim to similar schemes.


5.   Use Security Software Install and regularly update antivirus and anti-malware software on your devices. This can help protect against malicious attacks and unauthorized access.


By staying vigilant and taking proactive steps to secure your information, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to frauds and scams. Remember, a little caution can go a long way in safeguarding your financial and personal well-being in the digital world.

 

Here’s a new scam spotted on social media: appointment setting jobs. They claim you can work from home and make big money. But just what does an appointment setter do? And how can you tell the difference between a legit job offer and a scam?

 

 

Biggest Phishing Scams of All Time



How to get a Good Night's Sleep? How to sleep better at Night Naturally



Scam victims tell their stories

 

Investment scam: I lost $50,000 in fake online trading


Investment scam


Be suspicious of investment opportunities that promise a high return with little or no risk, and don't let anyone pressure you into making decisions about your money or investments.

 

 

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400 crore fraud: Police arrest one of four suspects

By HT Correspondent, Prayagraj- Jun 25, 2024 06:24 AM IST

 

Investigators said Nirupama was once a member of a district Child Welfare Committee and was connected to a political party in Faizabad.

₹400 crore fraud: Police arrest one of four suspects



Even as the prime accused in a fraud worth 400 crore committed by a Prayagraj-based real estate firm were on the run, police have made their first arrest as part of their ongoing investigation.


On Sunday night, Shivkuti police arrested Nirupama Mishra, the mother-in-law of the managing director (MD) Niharika Ventures’, Abhishek Dwivedi, from Prayag Railway Station. Dwivedi and his wife Niharika duped hundreds, and their victims include students, traders, lawyers and housewives.


Investigators said Nirupama was once a member of the district Child Welfare Committee and was connected to a political party in Faizabad.

 

Shivkuti station house officer Sanjay Gupta said a case was filed against the couple, Abhishek’s father OP Dwivedi and his mother-in-law Nirupama for fraud, embezzlement, issuing threats and demanding extortion on the complaints of one Kusum Pandey and Kamal Dev.

 

On Abhishek’s assurance, people invested amounts from ₹20 lakh to 50 lakh into his company. He, however, was delaying payments for the past six years. Moreover, he was also reluctant to hand over plots to those who invested in his real estate business.

 

The couple fled when investors mounted pressure on them to return their money.


Source (https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/rs-400-crore-fraud-police-arrest-one-of-four-suspects-101719254796549.html)

 

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Indians report nearly 800 online financial fraud cases a day, are you protected? Report

By HT News Desk | Edited by Abhyjith K. Ashokan-Jun 25, 2024 03:46 PM IST

 

Online financial fraud cases in India worth above ₹1 lakh each, add up to ₹1,457 crore in total values, with a further ₹653 crore with the others included.

 

Indians report nearly 800 online financial fraud cases a day, are you protected? Report


India sees nearly 800 financial fraud cases every day (iStock)

 

Nearly 800 online financial frauds are reported in India every day, the Times of India reported. While the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had reported 29,082 card & digital payment fraud cases with each worth above 1 lakh in the financial year 2023-24, the actual number goes up to about 2.9 lakh cases for the year, or 800 cases a day, if all individual cases worth below 1 lakh are also included.

 

The RBI had disclosed the number of cases below 1 lakh to an RTI query, according to Times of India. HT couldn’t independently verify this information.

 

What is the total value of these online financial fraud cases?

The cases above 1 lakh add up to 1,457 crore in total value, according to the RBI report. The cases below 1 lakh add a further 653 crore to this, according to Times of India.

 

How many financial fraud cases were reported before?

Cyber frauds of 5,574 crore had been reported for the first half of the financial year 2022-23 on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, which is much higher than the 2,296 crore in 2021-22, according to a report by the standing committee on communications and information technology (2023-24), Business Line wrote.

 

What are the types of financial fraud?

The most common kinds of frauds include malware or system breaches where funds are stolen, phishing, where the victim is coerced into revealing their credentials or perform financial transactions, and fake e-commerce sites or fraudulent schemes where victims voluntarily transfer funds, according to the article.

 

When are you protected and when are you not protected from financial frauds?

Voluntarily transferring funds are not recognized as banking frauds because the bank systems are not breached, the report read.

 

The RBI had introduced the concept of zero customer liability in unauthorized transactions in 2017, where the customer is legally protected only when they do not share credentials, or if the fraud occurs after the customer reports that their account has been compromised.

 

This means that there is no protection for the customer when the funds are transferred voluntarily.

 

Source (https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/indians-report-nearly-800-online-financial-fraud-cases-a-day-are-you-protected-report-101719309683432.html)

 

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Fraud: Case against police officer and PSI

Illegal construction on plot in Vadgaon Budruk

·    By PuneMirror Bureau- Reported By PMB Desk- Sat, 22 Jun 2024- 08:30 am

 

Fraud: Case against police officer and PSI



A case has been registered against Police Sub-Inspector Santosh Sonwane and police officer Dnyaneshwar Palve for their involvement in a fraud case at Alankar police station, informed Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar.


On May 30, a case was initially filed against Prakash Bhagwan Awhad and Prasad Mohan More under sections 420, 468, and 465 of the IPC, as well as Section 82 of the Registration Act 1908. The complaint was lodged by joint deputy registrar Amrita Yogesh Bankar.


The case involves illegal construction on a four-and-a-half guntha plot in Vadgaon Budruk, where a building named Hushare Complex was erected. Transactions involving the sale and purchase of various apartments in this building were documented using fake documents.


This complaint was investigated, and a report was received from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). A ‘Gunthewari’ regularisation tax certificate was attached for the building constructed on this land. Upon verification, no record of the certificate was found in PMC’s records. The investigation revealed that the regularisation certificate was fake. Consequently, a case was registered against Prakash Bhagwan Awhad and Prasad Mohan More, who is the attorney on behalf of Pratibha Realtors, a partner and approver, for cheating the government with this fake document.


CP Amitesh Kumar stated that in 2018, a fraud case was registered against Dinesh Samudre at Deccan Police Station. Police Sub-Inspector Santosh Sonwane was in charge of the investigation. In 2020, action was taken against Samudre under the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (MPID) Act.


During this time, Sonwane’s nephew, Prasad Mohan More, and brother-in-law, Prakash Bhagwan Awhad, partnered with Samudre’s son in a construction company for a project in Vadgaon Budruk.

 

Source (https://punemirror.com/pune/crime/fraud-case-against-police-officer-and-psi/cid1719045468.htm)


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Doctor from Secunderabad loses ₹5.80 lakh to parcel scam

 

Updated - June 25, 2024 12:01 pm IST-Published - June 24, 2024 08:41 pm IST – HYDERABAD-THE HINDU BUREAU

 

Doctor from Secunderabad loses ₹5.80 lakh to parcel scam


A 31-year-old doctor from Secunderabad was cheated of ₹5.80 lakh in a parcel scam.

Officials said the doctor received a call from a person claiming to be a FedEx representative, saying that there was a parcel containing narcotics from Mumbai to Iran in his name. “The caller also shared a forged FIR copy and connected the victim to a person posing as an official from the cybercrime wing of the Mumbai police. He was informed that his Aadhaar details had been fraudulently used for money laundering and that he was required to share his bank details and also transfer some amount to verify his account,” said the police.

On the threat of being “arrested within 10 minutes if he does not cooperate”, he ended up transferring ₹5.80 lakh before realising the fraud.

The Hyderabad cybercrimes police, who have registered a case, advised the public to immediately report online frauds to the helpline number - 1930 or by visiting cybercrime.gov.in.

 

Source (https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/doctor-from-secunderabad-loses-580-lakh-to-parcel-scam/article68327910.ece)

 

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Assistant professor loses Rs 8 lakh to fake FedEx parcel scam: How to stay safe


TOI Tech Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Jun 26, 2024, 11:45 IST

 

A 33-year old assistant professor lost Rs 7.9 lakh to a fake parcel scam orchestrated by cyber criminals impersonating as a FedEx employee. The victim was instructed to download the Skype app for online cooperation in a false police verification process.

 

Assistant professor loses Rs 8 lakh to fake FedEx parcel scam


 

In yet another case of gullible ones falling prey to online fraud, a 33-year old assistant professor lost Rs 7.9 lakh to a fake parcel scam. Namrata, a resident of Udupi, Karnataka received a call from a cyber criminal impersonating as a FedEx employee. On being threatened that an FIR has been registered on her name, Rs 7.9 lakh was extorted falsely from the victim on the false pretext of police verification.


A case has been registered at the Manipal station under sections 66(C), 66(D) of the Information Technology Act and IPC sections 419 and 420.

 

How the professor got scammed?


The victim was contacted by the fraudsters on June 22 at 4:21pm when she got a call from a person named Sanjay Kumar claiming to be a FedEd employee. She was informed that a parcel had been received containing five Iranian passports, five debit cards, two kilograms of clothes, and 150g of MDMA. The parcel, the caller said, was addressed to her.


The caller then informed her that an FIR has been registered with the Mumbai Police in this regard. Subsequently, she was connected to another person impersonating as a Mumbai police officer.


When asked to either visit Mumbai or cooperate online in connection with the FIR, Namrata opted for online cooperation. She was instructed to download the Skype app.


Later, she received a video call from an individual named Pradeep Sawanth, who introduced himself as a Mumbai police officer. The fraudster, this time, asked for details of her Aadhaar card and bank debit cards. Eventually, she was asked to transfer Rs 7.9 lakh in the guise of a pre-approved personal loan on credit card OTL for police verification.



How to stay safe?


Some tips that can help you stay safe from these online frauds are:

·         Check for any red flags.

·         Be wary of pressure to act quickly, requests for personal information, or demands for payment.

·         Check the official website and contact details.

·         If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

·         Ensure the website uses HTTPS and has a secure connection.

Source (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/professor-loses-rs-7-9-lakh-to-fake-fedex-parcel-scam-how-to-stay-safe/articleshow/111220268.cms)


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Con-spiracy calling: From deepfakes to innovative financial scams, how cybercrime landscape is evolving

TNN / Updated: Jun 23, 2024, 11:14 IST

 

Cybercrooks continue to pose a threat online, using tactics like deepfakes and AI-enabled misinformation. In Gujarat, 1.59 lakh cybercrime applications were made between Jan 1, 2020, and May 15, 2023, highlighting the importance of awareness against cyber threats.

 

Con-spiracy calling


From deepfakes in poll campaigns to innovative financial scams, the cybercrime landscape is evolving fast. here are mos you cannot miss


Every time you connect to the internet, you are at the risk of falling prey to prying cybercrooks. They can steal your personal information, hack into your bank accounts and even ruin your reputation. With technology at their disposal, they are also getting dangerously inventive — deepfakes and AI-enabled misinformation took centre stage in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.


According to the data from the National Crime Records Bureau, between Jan 1, 2020, and May 15, 2023, netizens in Gujarat made 1.59 lakh applications on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP) or helpline number 1930.It comes to 5,585 applications a month and one every 7.5 minutes on average. Only awareness can help you stay ahead of these cybercrooks and keep yourself from becoming their next target.


The impersonators: Fraudsters pose as bank execs or online shopping representatives and trick their victims into revealing their WhatsApp verification code or ask them to scan a QR code. It links the victim’s account to the fraudster’s device. They then exploit the compromised accounts to target contacts with requests for money, perpetuating the scam further.

 

AI calls: Scammers are now employing AI to clone voices. Victims receive calls under the pretext of emergency and the caller’s voice sounds like that of a relative/friend in distress. The victims are then asked to quickly transfer large sums of money to help their loved ones.


'Power play: Criminals pose as govt officials, intimidating victims with threats of disconnection from public utilities unless they pay the forged bills, causing fear and financial loss.


Quite respect-fool: Scammers exploit victims’ respect for the military by posing as Army officers and manipulate them into giving away their money.


Dubious policy: Fraudsters pose as employees of insurance firms and promise to help you discontinue the policy and get the surrender value. They keep demanding money from you on the pretext of releasing the amount and once you have transferred the money, they disappear.


ID scam: Cybercrooks obtain photo ID cards of people through agents who enrol citizens in various govt schemes.


Using these documents, they acquire SIM cards to make con calls to defraud people. Likewise, if you haven’t bothered to retrieve copies of your identification documents from a bank executive after an unsuccessful attempt to obtain a bank card or personal loan, you may be in for similar trouble.


Deepfakes: Deepfake videos are generated via AI tools that use facial reenactment. It involves studying pre-recorded video footage of a person and then applying their facial expressions to someone else via AI-face swap tools.


Lovestruck: Scammers posing as rich NRIs lure singles into a relationship and propose marriage to them. They then call up their targets, saying they are at an Indian airport, but can’t leave the premises without paying certain charges since they are carrying foreign currency. The victims transfer the money asked for and the crooks disappear.


Badlapur: Cybercrooks avenge perceived ill-treatment or humiliation by creating fake Instagram accounts and sending friend requests to their targets. They lure them into exchanging explicit chats and nude photos and later blackmail them or send the screenshots to the victim’s family.


Custom-Ary Call: Fraudsters posing as customs officials call up people to tell them that a parcel in their name has been found with drugs in it. They also send forged CBI letters and make video calls to the gullible target to “settle the case”. A few days ago, the Union finance ministry advised people to stay vigilant and said that customs officials never get in touch with individuals over phone or through email to ask them to remit customs duties in private accounts. Be alert.


Sim Cloning: Fraudsters gain access to a phone’s data and clone it in many ways. They can use a SIM scanner, which is a small device that enables them to scan a phone from a short distance. Sometimes, scammers make people apply for a new SIM card by sending links, which the victims unwittingly click on. This enables the fraudster to obtain key information from the victim’s mobile and replicate their digital identity.


Pharming: A type of attack where victims are directed to fraudulent websites or miscreants manipulate victims’ computer systems to collect sensitive info. Be very careful while clicking on any link.


OTP fraud: Criminals bypass OTP security by duping bank customers into revealing OTPs to access their accounts and steal money.


Crypto fraud: Gangs making fake cryptocurrencies create fake profiles of USDT traders and dupe people by offering to sell them USDT cryptocurrencies at half the market price. Once the victims invest their money, the callers go incommunicado.


CIBIL trouble: Cybercrooks have been running a distinctive scheme that exploits victims’ CIBIL scores and demand money to improve them.


Commission fraud: Scammers lure netizens into earning from movie-ticketing business. They are asked to buy tickets in bulk, and watch and rate the films to claim commission. But here’s the catch: To get the commission, they must buy more tickets.


(Un)lucky draw: Criminals hack into databases to target individuals based on their spending history, tricking them into believing they have won a prize and then extort money.


Trafficking for fraud: Syndicates lure youths with false promises of foreign jobs, particularly in Cambodia, Laos and the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, only to force them into working at call centres engaged in credit card fraud and fraudulent cryptocurrency investments using fake applications and honey trapping.


Recruitment fraud: Cybercriminals exploit professionals by conducting fake interviews and demanding payments to register for non-existent jobs. Money is gone, and so is the promised job and the imaginary pay package.


Stock shock: Stock market junkies are lured into investing in shares with ‘upper circuit’ potential on the promise of good returns. They are made to download links. They end up investing lakhs, but get no money back.


Edu loan fraud: Shady firms “hire” students from campuses and misuse their documents to secure education loans without their knowledge. Besides irregular salaries, they also face considerable financial distress in the form of EMIs for loans they never took.


Sextortion: Cybercrooks click screenshots of their nude selves along with the faces of the hapless victims who pick their calls. They then disconnect the calls and use the screenshots to extort money out of the victims, who even include women.


Info bites back: Youngsters posting every little detail about their lives, including videos and pictures on social media about their hangouts, might become fodder for cybercrooks.


The criminals exploit these posts to scam parents, falsely claiming their children have been booked in crimes.

Source:

(https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/con-spiracy-calling-from-deepfakes-to-innovative-financial-scams-how-cybercrime-landscape-is-evolving/articleshow/111201005.cms?messageid=2673143309&intenttarget=no&r=1494219314303)

 

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Noose tightened on cyber criminals in Prayagraj, over 6K mobile numbers blocked

By HT Correspondent, Prayagraj

Jun 23, 2024 10:54 PM IST

 

Noose tightened on cyber criminals in Prayagraj


Efforts are being made not only to seize these bank accounts but also get the cash returned to the victims, say police


With a view to tightening noose on cyber criminals, the cyber cell of the Prayagraj police is getting their mobile numbers blocked and bank accounts seized. “In the last six months, the cyber cell has got 6,414 mobile numbers used by cyber fraudsters blocked. Also, over a dozen cyber criminals have been held during the said period,” said additional DCP, crime, Satish Chandra.


These fraudsters were based in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Delhi, he added. They were targeting bank customers using these numbers, the cop said.


Moreover, cyber cell has also taken action on bank accounts used by the cyber criminals. The investigation so far has revealed that around 574 bank accounts are run by cyber fraudsters in which cash of fraud victims are transferred.

 

Cyber cell in-charge Vinod Yadav said in the first phase, 49 bank accounts had been seized while letters were being forwarded to concerned bank authorities to seize other bank accounts as well. “Efforts are being made not only to seize these bank accounts but also get the cash returned to the victims,” he added.

 

Meanwhile, police investigation has revealed that cyber criminals are now taking bank, ATM cards and passbooks details of the poor and labourers and are using their accounts for transferring cash of fraud victims.

Source (https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/noose-tightened-on-cyber-criminals-in-prayagraj-over-6k-mobile-numbers-blocked-101719163481006.html)

 

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Six men arrested for cyber fraud, impersonation of govt officials

By HT Correspondent

Jun 24, 2024 05:58 AM IST

 

Six arrested for posing as officials and duping people in Aadhaar scam. 72 cases registered, ₹32,065,003 found in one accused's account. Working for Chinese nationals for commission.

 

Six men arrested for cyber fraud


The caller claimed that a parcel was booked using the victim’s Aadhaar card and phone number, and contained passports, bank cards, clothes, a laptop, cash, and drugs. (File Photo)

 

Six men were arrested from Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra for their alleged involvement in a scam, in which they posed as custom and police officials and duped people of lakhs of rupees by telling them that their Aadhaar cards were used in illegal activities, Delhi Police officers aware of the matter said on Sunday.


In total, 72 cases were registered against the accused on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, they added.


Police said that 32,065,003 was found credited to the accounts of one of the accused. They were all working at the behest of Chinese nationals and had provided their bank accounts for transactions to earn commission, they added.



Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (east) Apoorva Gupta said that the accused were identified as Ansh Kumar, 24 and Samarth, 23, of Rohtak in Haryana, Pranjal Kumar Sahni, 24, of Balia in Uttar Pradesh, Satender Dhaker, 29, of Morena in Madhya Pradesh, Vedant Prabhakar, 26, of Panvel in Maharashtra, and Vishal Joshi, 25, of Kirari in Delhi.


 

DCP Gupta said that on April 30, they received a complaint from a man, Deepanshu Vaid, a resident of Vasundhara Enclave, saying that he received a call from an unknown number on the previous day and the caller introduced himself as a FedEx Express employee based in Mumbai.


 

“The caller claimed that a parcel was booked using his Aadhaar card and phone number, and contained passports, bank cards, clothes, a laptop, cash, and drugs. So, the call was transferred to Mumbai Cyber Police. Under the pretext of saving him from legal entanglement, the caller duped him of 2.49 lakh,” Gupta said.


 

A cheating case was the registered along with other Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections and investigation was taken up.

Source (https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/six-men-arrested-for-cyber-fraud-impersonation-of-govt-officials-101719166662743.html)

 



Beware, cybercrooks can steal your money without OTP too


You are sent a message that looks to have bee forwarded from a bank. Once you click the link, the money is stolen from your account without an OTP.


Beware, cybercrooks can steal your money without OTP too

Representative image


Rakshith Gowda

Updated on:  23 Jun 2024, 1:55 pm

 

BENGALURU: As technology advances, fraudsters are employing new techniques to swindle people. We all think that without One Time Passwords (OTPs), money cannot be transferred, but now cyber fraudsters can take the money away from your account without an OTP too.

This is how the scam works. You are sent a message that looks to have bee forwarded from a bank. Once you click the link, the money is stolen from your account without an OTP. Over Rs 40 lakh has been stolen from Bengaluru Rural district alone using this technique.

Cybercriminals are also employing more-sophisticated Remote Access Trojans (RAT) and Android Application Package (APK) software to scam people. A senior officer said RATs and APKs are software that allow cybercriminals to remotely control a person’s device, without their knowledge.

An officer explained that fraudsters create fake apps using logos of nationalised or private banks whose security would have been breached. Fraudsters send these app links via WhatsApp or text messages, and once the application is installed on the phone, fraudsters can easily steal the money.

This is a more advanced form of phishing, enabling fraudsters to bypass conventional security measures and gain unauthorised access to sensitive information. Earlier, these methods were used to steal money in bulk from big companies, he added.

An officer investigating a case said that a 35-year-old IT employee, Anusha (name changed), lost Rs 20 lakh. She had received a link on WhatsApp that appeared to be from her bank. The message suggested she install the app to get updates from the bank. “As soon as she opened the link, the phone came under the control of fraudsters. After similar cases were reported from different parts of the state and the police alerted bank officials, the bank took preventive security measures, and now such cases have reduced,” the official explained.

A cyber expert, Suresh, said the only way to escape from such frauds is not to click on links in text or WhatsApp messages. Banks send transaction alerts only to the text message inbox and advise turning off mobile data to prevent applications from downloading.

On May 21, the Hassan sub-division DySP reportedly lost Rs 15.98 lakh after installing an application of a nationalised bank that was forwarded him through a text message. The link had an APK or RAT file. An investigation officer from Hassan said that soon after the money was stolen, it was transferred to multiple mule accounts. It was found that the accused had used 900 SIMs with the same IMEI number.

Source (https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2024/Jun/23/beware-cybercrooks-can-steal-your-money-without-otp-too)

 

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First FIR at cyber crime police station: Ludhiana resident duped of ₹4.35 crore

By HT Correspondent, Ludhiana

Jun 22, 2024 10:44 PM IST

 

According to the victim, he was added to a WhatsApp group where the accused shared investment tips; He alleged that the accused lured the victim on the pretext of high profits and made him invest through them


The recently established cyber crime police station registered its first first-information report on Friday after a complaint by a city resident who was duped of 4.35 crore on the pretext of investment for quick profits.


The accused were identified as Tanvi Sharma, Mander Pawar, Shivani S Qurin, Jyoti Sharma, Sharan Gupta, Bikram Patel and Anjali Sharma.


According to the victim, he was added to a WhatsApp group where the accused shared investment tips. He alleged that the accused lured the victim on the pretext of high profits and made him invest through them. The victim, Rashpal Singh of Model Town, had filed a police complaint on June 3. An FIR has been registered after an investigation.


Inspector Jatinder Singh, in-charge cyber crime police station, said that the victim said that he used to invest in the stock market. He was added to a WhatsApp group in which people shared investment tips. The accused made the victim invest in certain stocks. In the beginning, the accused got profits from small investments. Later, the accused made the victim invest big and kept telling him his shares were growing. The accused then disappeared.


The inspector added that the victim lost 4.35 crore. A case under sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against the accused. 

Source (https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/first-fir-at-cyber-crime-police-station-ludhiana-resident-duped-of-4-35-crore-101719076458994.html)

 

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Chennai police bust international network involved in online financial scams

Police said the scamsters, consisting of Indian and Malaysian nationals, obtained SIM cards and set up bank accounts in India, and then operated out of Malaysia and Cambodia, targeting Tamil-speaking persons

Published - June 20, 2024 01:43 pm IST - CHENNAI

 

Chennai police bust international network involved in online financial scams


The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Greater Chennai City Police has busted a gang that procured SIM cards illegally and operated current accounts from India that were being used by cyber fraudsters operating out of Malaysia and Cambodia, targeting Tamil-speaking people. 

The city police unearthed the network following the detention of a Malaysian-Chinese passenger at the Chennai airport a few ago. The passenger was in possession of Indian SIM cards. Police said Anil Kumar, Assistant Foreign Regional Registration Officer, Bureau of Immigration, Chennai International Airport, reported on Sunday (June 16, 2024) that Malaysian national Lee Tiek Yein, aged 32, was caught while he was boarding a flight bound for Malaysia with 22 SIM cards that had been fraudulently obtained.

After an enquiry, the immigration officers found that these cards were to be used for cyber/bank frauds. Based on this report, a  case was registered at Forgery Investigation Wing (FIW) of the CCB, Chennai and the accused person, LeeTiek Yein was arrested and remanded judicial custody on Monday, June 17, as per a court order. 

Based on information given by Yein, a special police team conducted further investigations and arrested seven others including three Malaysian nationals: Ganesan, Tang Ching Kun, Mahendran  and four Indian nationals: Mohammed Manazir of Coonoor, Ramjai of Salem, Rajwinder Singh of Punjab and Surya Prakash of Madurai, and sent them all to judicial custody. 

A total of of 550 SIM cards, two laptops, 33 bank account passbook/cheque book, 20 ATM cards, 23 mobile phones, one BMW Car, Malaysian currency amounting to 5485 Ringgits, and Singapore currency were seized from the accused persons.

A senior police officer said the investigation revealed that the gang consisting of Indians and Malaysian nationals procured SIM cards using the credentials of Indian nationals from here, and set up current accounts at banks here. They then sent all the SIM cards and bank details to foreign countries such as Malaysia and Cambodia for use in cyber financial frauds such as the Fedex scamtrading scams, loan app scams etc. 

Source (https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennai-police-bust-international-network-involved-in-online-financial-scams/article68310855.ece)

 

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Noida woman put under digital arrest for 5 days, duped of ₹1.30 crore

By Arun Singh

Jun 22, 2024 06:34 AM IST

 

The fraudster directed her not to disconnect the call even for a minute or reveal the process of investigation to anyone to avoid facing any legal action

 

Noida woman put under digital arrest for 5 days, duped of ₹1.30 crore


On June 13, one of the suspects called up the woman, claiming that he belonged to a courier firm based at Andheri in Mumbai, and a parcel, containing incriminating items and belonging to her, has been found. (Representational image)

 

Noida: A 73-year-old woman in Noida was allegedly duped of 1.3 crore by cybercrime frauds who placed her under “digital arrest” through a video call for five days since June 13, on the pretext of giving her a police clearance certificate. The suspects accused her of being involved in a money laundering case, police officers aware of the matter said on Friday.


Assistant commissioner of police (cybercrime), Noida, Vivek Ranjan, said that the complainant, Suchi Agrawal, lives with her husband at Sector 49, and their son is based in the United States.

 

On June 13, one of the suspects called up Agrawal and said that he belonged to a courier firm based at Andheri in Mumbai, and a parcel, containing incriminating items and belonging to her, has been found. Other suspects also posed as investigating officers and asked her to either visit Mumbai for questioning or else she will be connected to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Mumbai, for a probe, investigators said.


The woman, who avoided taking calls from her family members, ended up transferring 1.30 crore over the next five days. She also managed to keep her husband in the dark while he was under the same roof, they added.

 

“In her police complaint, filed on Thursday, Agrawal said that she received a call from an unidentified mobile number. The caller said... an illegal packet in her name has been seized. The details of her Aadhaar and PAN cards as well as passport were found inside the box containing some illegal items,” Ranjan said.

 

“She was later told that she was also found to be involved in a hawala transaction for which she would need to visit Mumbai ‘for questioning’ or he would connect her to NCB Mumbai for investigation,” the officer said citing the complaint.


“The fraudster then connected with Agrawal through a video call and directed her not to disconnect the call even for a minute or reveal the process of investigation to anyone if she did not want to face any legal action,” said ACP Ranjan. Agrawal, who was terrified, remained on the call for five days without informing her husband, who was in another room.

 

“Whenever she got a call from a family member or friend, she disconnected it… She is familiar to net banking and transferred 1.30 crore in installments during the five days. The suspect managed to get her bank balance details on the pretext of questioning,” the officer added.

 

“On the fifth day, the fraudster disconnected the video call and told her that she would receive the police clearance certificate in the next 24 hours. But when she did not get any certificate, and found that the caller’s mobile number was also switched off, she realised that she had been duped,” added ACP Ranjan.


She narrated her ordeal to her husband and approached the cybercrime branch on Thursday.

 

On the complaint of the victim, a case under sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly) of the Indian Penal Code and IT Act was registered against the unidentified accused at the cybercrime branch at midnight and efforts are on to nab the accused, police said.

Source (https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/noida-news/noida-woman-put-under-digital-arrest-for-5-days-duped-of-1-30-crore-101718996577732.html)

 

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