Bangalore City Cybercrime Police's advisory to curb cybercrime
Bangaluru: You may be smart in your profession or business, but a moment of carelessness with your smartphone can cost you your hard-earned money in minutes. Cybercriminals are using sophisticated techniques to trick people and steal money from their accounts.
In Bengaluru, many people fall victim to scams through attractive or threatening messages on WhatsApp, Telegram, email, and other platforms, losing significant amounts of money. In the last four months alone, over a thousand complaints have been filed about such incidents.
Filing a complaint often doesn't result in recovering the lost money. It's extremely difficult for the police to track down and apprehend these cybercriminals. The chances of recovering stolen money are slim to none.
Cybercriminals use various tactics to lure their victims. You might receive messages promising easy earnings, part-time jobs, share trading opportunities, or lottery winnings. These messages often include links. Clicking on these links can compromise your phone or computer, allowing scammers to hack your accounts and steal your money. They are also skilled at tricking you into providing one-time passwords (OTPs) to complete fraudulent transactions.
Some scammers might call you, using persuasive language to extract personal information and OTPs. Once you provide these details, your money is as good as gone. They can also use threatening messages to intimidate you into complying with their demands.
The police advise people to be vigilant and not fall for these scams. Once hackers have your details and access your account, it's almost impossible to recover the stolen funds. The cyber fraud network is vast and intricate, making it difficult to pinpoint the source of the fraud.
Ironically, well-educated professionals, including tech experts, are often the victims of these scams.
To combat this issue, the Bangalore City Cybercrime Police have launched a campaign to raise awareness about cyber fraud. They aim to educate the public on how cybercrime occurs, how cybercriminals can steal accounts without the victim's knowledge, and what precautions to take to stay safe.
Here are some key points from the cybercrime police to help protect yourself:
- Cybercrime Defined: Cybercrime involves the use of computers, networks, or electronic devices to commit offenses. It's a crime under the Information Technology Act 2000.
- Motives: Cyber crimes are usually committed to make illegal money, though some are intended to defame individuals.
- Prevention Tips: Be cautious of unsolicited messages and links, don't share personal information or OTPs with unknown callers, and stay informed about the latest cyber threats.
By staying alert and following these precautions, you can protect yourself from falling victim to cyber fraud.
Common Methods Used by Fraudsters
- Share Trading Scams
Fraudsters contact victims through WhatsApp or Telegram, promising high profits from trading. They lure people into downloading trading apps and initially provide small profits to gain trust. Once the victims deposit significant amounts of money, the fraudsters disappear with the funds.
- FedEx Courier Fraud
Scammers pose as officials from TRAI, CBI, Customs, or the police. They call victims, accusing them of criminal activity like drug involvement or money laundering, and threaten arrest. The victims are then tricked into providing bank account details and other personal information, which the fraudsters use to transfer money.
- Online Part-Time Job Scams
Victims are contacted via WhatsApp or Telegram with offers of easy part-time jobs, such as liking YouTube videos or rating hotels. After completing small tasks and receiving payments, victims are enticed to invest more money with promises of higher returns, only to be defrauded.
- Honeytrap Scams
Scammers, often posing as women, make video calls and engage in explicit conversations, recording the interaction. They then blackmail the victim by threatening to release the footage unless money is paid. The fraudsters may also impersonate officials or reporters to further intimidate the victim into paying.
- Fake Insurance Fraud
Fraudsters contact victims pretending to represent top insurance companies through websites like WhatsApp or Telegram. They offer false information and promises of high returns, convincing victims to deposit large sums of money into various accounts.
- Matrimonial Fraud
Scammers connect with victims on social media, particularly targeting divorced women. They build intimacy, propose marriage, and then claim to need money for various reasons. The victims transfer funds, believing the scammer is abroad and will soon visit them.
- OLX Fraud
Scammers create fake accounts on OLX, listing vehicles at low prices and using photos of military or high-ranking officials to appear legitimate. They claim the vehicles are at the airport and require immediate payment, deceiving victims into transferring money.
- Fake Web Link or OTP Scams
Fraudsters send links to victims, making them click under false pretenses. Once the link is clicked, they obtain OTPs and access bank accounts to transfer money. They might also send links claiming the bank account will be blocked, prompting victims to provide account details.
- Loan App Fraud
Fraudsters target individuals in urgent need of money, requesting documents like Aadhaar to provide loans. They charge exorbitant interest rates and, if payments aren't made, they harass victims by distorting their photos and sending them to their contacts. This harassment has led to some victims committing suicide due to the unbearable pressure.
When Scammers Call...
- Be Alert!
- If you receive a call promising easy money from a stranger, hang up immediately.
- If you get a threatening call from someone claiming to be a government official or police officer, hang up and report the incident to the nearest police station.
How to Be Safe
- Use Strong Passwords
- Create unique and complex passwords for all your accounts.
- Be Cautious with Websites
- Only visit reputable websites. Avoid entering personal information on unknown sites.
- Avoid Suspicious Apps
- Do not download or use apps that request personal information without verifying their legitimacy.
- Don’t Click Unknown Links
- Avoid clicking on links from unknown sources on social media or in messages.
- Keep Software Updated
- Regularly update your devices and software to protect against vulnerabilities.
What to Do Immediately if You Are Scammed
- Call the Cybercrime Helpline
- Dial 1930, a cybercrime helpline available across all states in India, to report the incident.
- File a Complaint Online
- Log into the NCRP portal to file a complaint. If the scam involves financial transactions, the related bank accounts can be frozen immediately.
By following these guidelines, you can protect yourself from falling victim to cyber scams and ensure your personal and financial information remains secure.
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Israel launches first airstrike on Lebanon since ceasefire, accusing Hezbollah of breaching truce
Beirut, Nov 28: The Israeli military on Thursday said its warplanes fired on southern Lebanon after detecting Hezbollah activity at a rocket storage facility, the first Israeli airstrike a day after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold.
There was no immediate word on casualties from Israel's aerial attack, which came hours after the Israeli military said it fired on people trying to return to certain areas in southern Lebanon. Israel said they were violating the ceasefire agreement, without providing details. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said two people were wounded.
The back-to-back incidents stirred unease about the agreement, brokered by the United States and France, which includes an initial two-month ceasefire in which Hezbollah members are to withdraw north of the Litani River and Israeli forces are to return to their side of the border. The buffer zone would be patrolled by Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers.
On Thursday, the second day of a ceasefire after more than a year of bloody conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon's state news agency reported that Israeli fire targeted civilians in Markaba, close to the border, without providing further details. Israel said it fired artillery in three other locations near the border. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
An Associated Press reporter in northern Israel near the border heard Israeli drones buzzing overhead and the sound of artillery strikes from the Lebanese side.
The Israeli military said in a statement that “several suspects were identified arriving with vehicles to a number of areas in southern Lebanon, breaching the conditions of the ceasefire.” It said troops “opened fire toward them” and would “actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement.”
Israeli officials have said forces will be withdrawn gradually as it ensures that the agreement is being enforced. Israel has warned people not to return to areas where troops are deployed, and says it reserves the right to strike Hezbollah if it violates the terms of the truce.
A Lebanese military official said Lebanese troops would gradually deploy in the south as Israeli troops withdraw. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.
The ceasefire agreement announced late Tuesday ended 14 months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that began a day after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza, when the Lebanese Hezbollah group began firing rockets, drones and missiles in solidarity.
Israel retaliated with airstrikes, and the conflict steadily intensified for nearly a year before boiling over into all-out war in mid-September. The war in Gaza is still raging with no end in sight.
More than 3,760 people were killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon during the conflict, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The fighting killed more than 70 people in Israel — over half of them civilians — as well as dozens of Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon.
Some 1.2 million people were displaced in Lebanon, and thousands began streaming back to their homes on Wednesday despite warnings from the Lebanese military and the Israeli army to stay out of certain areas. Some 50,000 people were displaced on the Israeli side, but few have returned and the communities near the northern border are still largely deserted.
In Menara, an Israeli community on the border with views into Lebanon, around three quarters of homes are damaged, some with collapsed roofs and burnt-out interiors. A few residents could be seen gathering their belongings on Thursday before leaving again.
