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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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
