Mumbai:Cybercrime in India has surged amidst the country’s unprecedented coronavirus lockdown. As COVID-19 cases in the country continue to climb, Mumbai has sought to aggressively to contain the spread of the deadly disease by essentially shutting down the world’s second most populated nation.
Many people have lost their jobs during the lockdown. This has led to an increase in online financial fraud cases by crooks.
Various means are being used by cybercriminals to rob people in India. It has also come to light that people are being robbed by phone, especially based on popular series like 'Kaun Banega Crorepati'.
According to the cyber police, some cybercriminals from neighbouring India are committing such crimes.
How is fraud happening?
For the last few days, many citizens of India have been receiving calls, WhatsApp messages or SMS from their mobile numbers starting with +92. The person on the call says, 'You have got some prize money in the well-known game' Kaun Banega Crorepati'. The relevant amount is to be credited to your account. However, your bank account details are required for this.
A similar message comes on WhatsApp or SMS with a link. Clicking on that link prompts you to fill out a form. It asks for your bank account details. This is followed by an OTP on the victim's mobile number. As soon as the OTP is received from the victim, all the amount in his bank account is withdrawn mutually. There have been many such incidents in the last few days.
"Significant" increase in cyber crimes amid COVID 19 Lockdown: Expert How to protect yourself from fraud?
- Do not pick up your mobile number if the call comes from a mobile number starting with +92 or any other number except for +91.
- Also, do not click on the link in the message coming from the same number.
- Do not share your bank account information with strangers.
- If you receive such phone calls, immediately inform the cyber police.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Ankur Puranik, a cyber expert, said, "We generally indulge in a lot of online transactions such as net banking, use payment wallets like Paytm and Google Pay and cybercriminals are taking advantage of this. They always come up with new ways of frauds."
"In the latest kind of fraud, these people who carry out these crimes saying that they are offering a free Netflix subscription, and an amount has been transferred through Paytm or data pack to engage people in a conversation," Puranik said.
"In the latest kind of crimes, these people who declare callers as the winner of Kaun Banega Crorepati and ask for debit card details and CVV number. They send an online form which has to be filled and during this, they engage in a conversation and people end up giving debit card and credit card details to them. Soon after this, they tell that a verification OTP has been sent and ask for it, customers do not realise the real motive behind this and give it out," he said.
"A closer examination in the jump in cybercrime reveals that both private and state-sponsored cybercriminals have proven effective at exploiting the ongoing crisis. Customers should be very careful as if these details are let out, cybercriminals can easily get hold of all the money in your account. In this way, people get looted of their hard-earned money," he added.
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