A concerning trend of a new cyber fraud is on the rise in India, characterised by cyber criminals orchestrating ‘digital arrests’ through a coordinated and planned approach.
These criminals adopt the guise of law enforcement agencies and senior officers, leading to a disturbing phenomenon where victims are subjected to what is termed as ‘digital arrest’. An official figure from the Union government disclosed a staggering 2,000 complaints have been received about the fraud in the past year alone.
In these incidents, victims are not only blackmailed but also coerced into participating in prolonged interactions with fake government officials via Skype. Such virtual arrests have no legal standing. The gravity of the situation has prompted immediate action, with the Centre blocking 90 per cent of the 235 identified fraudulent Skype accounts. Additional efforts are underway to neutralise the remaining.
So far, the names of three organisation have been used by these criminals. They adeptly impersonate officers of Mumbai Police, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This impersonation extends beyond verbal interactions as these criminals present fabricated ID cards and reference the names and ranks of actual officers, adding a layer of authenticity to their deceptive tactics.
The ramifications for victims are severe, as they endure not only financial losses but also significant emotional distress. The cyber fraudsters use the credibility associated with law enforcement and government officials, making it challenging for victims to discern the fraudulent nature of the ‘arrest’ process.
“Victims are blackmailed and made to sit in front of fake government officials for hours, leading to devastating financial and emotional harm. The cybercriminals impersonate cops or top officials, also show their ID card, and take names of actual officers with real ranks so that even if someone tries to Google the information given by them, they believe that arrest process is real,” a top official of a central cyber security agency said.
Modus Operandi
In the latest fraud, criminals contact victims through IVR calls and inform them that their IDs like PAN number, Aadhaar have been used in frauds or that SIM cards involved in a crime are linked to their Aadhaar number.
Once the victim joins on Skype, the accused transfer the call to fake government officers who conduct a fake interrogation and ensure that the victim doesn’t leave. The officer, who is mostly in uniform, talks to the victim as officer of CBI, Mumbai Police or RBI. The officer accuses the victim of money laundering or being involved in a crime. The criminals try to maintain maximum authenticity by faking ID cards, Skype IDs, emails and show fake warrant issued from courts. Finally, cyber criminals pressure victims to transfer money and, in some cases, also force them to take instant loan to pay the ransom.
Long Skype Calls Under Scanner
According to sources, a central government agency has asked Microsoft to implement a proactive detection and prevention mechanism to identify impersonating accounts and take actions. It has also been asked to monitor longer duration calls, especially day-long ones, from Skype IDs.
Reporting and filing cases
According to a top-level source, since this is the new type of fraud, it has been suggested that CBI, RBI and Mumbai Police file cases and initiate investigation. Also, 220 Skype accounts have been blocked which were used by cybercriminals. This is an organised online economic crime learnt to be operated by cross-border criminal syndicates.
The Centre has also said that the department concerned may initiate legal action against the Skype IDs that are impersonating Reserve Bank of India, Maharashtra Police, and Narcotics Department, maligning/harming the reputation of the organisation and committing fraud.
Cybercriminals from Cambodia actively involved
According to the initial investigation done by central agencies, few IDs have been traced to Cambodia. Sources have told News18 that cybercriminals from Cambodia are actively involved in the crime and getting associated with local cybercrime criminals. Agencies are now trying to trace the places which have maximum number of criminals involved in such type of crimes.
Comments
0 comment