Hyderabad: Cybercrimes across the nation during pandemic are rising with hackers finding new techniques to dupe people. Various schemes in the name of the government are widely being advertised on social media platforms such as Google, YouTube and Twitter. Fake schemes like 'Free Laptop Scheme', 'PM Scooty Scheme', 'PM Kisan Tractor Scheme', 'PM Solar Panel Scheme', 'PM Kanya Ashirwad Scheme' and many others are on the rise.
Many posts are appearing on these sites claiming that starting from several freebies till jobs can be obtained through these schemes. Such scams being faked in the name of the Government are not new. However, there has been a consistent rise in cyber crimes Covid pandemic times. During the corona period, such advertisements have increased on social media platforms. Fraudsters not only collect personal information of people under the guise of false schemes but also dupe people financially.
Leaving no trace behind
The process of trapping customers with false scheme narrative not new. In the name of employment and loan schemes, a message is sent to the public that for a particular government scheme (in most cases there will be no such scheme) the recipient has been selected as the beneficiary. In order to receive the scheme, he/she will be required to pay the pre-registration process. Fraudsters will remain available until the fee is paid, but will disappear as soon as the fee is paid.
Without even a digital trace
Consider, for example, the 'Gram Vikas Rozgaar Yojana' (a fake employment scheme) where letters of the scheme are sent directly to the village Sarpanches of various states, including Telangana, Punjab and Meghalaya. The selected candidates are asked to send a demand draft of Rs. 1,200. Many even sent the money without even checking with the concerned authorities. The scam takes place without any digital landmarks or phone numbers. Only letters and addresses remain as faulty evidence.
In some cases, people lined up in front of government offices asking the authorities to register themselves in these fake schemes. In many cases, politicians had to come forward and say that there were no such government schemes. For example, when a fake scheme called 'PM Scooty Yojana' went viral, BJP leaders came to the media and said that there was no central government scheme with that name.
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Even the educated fall into prey
False news related to religious, social and political affairs is on the rise on social media. This type of misinformation attracts a lot of attention. These false schemes are spread through fake website links, WhatsApp messages and YouTube videos. Educated people are increasingly suffering from this kind of false propaganda. Under the many YouTube videos related to fake schemes, many people of whom even educated ones are included are embedding their mobile numbers, Aadhaar numbers and bank account details in the comments section below the said fake video itself. Many are losing money as well as personal privacy because of these fake schemes.
Due to the lack of a proper grievance redressal mechanism, victims are left with no idea on what to do to get their money back. Some state governments, including the Press Information Bureau, have set up fact-finding units for online fraud. However, their range is very limited. Different organizations need to work together to effectively counter the risk of counterfeit schemes and false propaganda. A centralized government portal should be set up like the one that is set up for cybercrime prevention.
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Special procedures are required
The government should set up a 'toll-free' number so that people can find out the factual truth about the messages they receive and also complain about them accordingly. Police personnel should be given proper training to ensure that complaints on that portal go to the concerned state police departments and immediately take care of such fraudulent activities. Social media and technology companies have come up with special policies to take appropriate action against those who post hateful posts.
Likewise, special measures should be implemented to take appropriate action against those who mislead the people and cheat in the name of fake schemes. These fake schemes are being promoted on internet platforms that are designed to clone some of the government websites. This thread must be intercepted with precise vigilance. Fake websites that look like government schemes should be cornered and stringent action should be taken which is possible only with constant monitoring.
Strict surveillance is mandatory on bank accounts that resemble the names of government schemes. The government should make frequent announcements stating the need to be vigilant against such counterfeit schemes. These warning boards should be set up in different languages across the country.
A website should be set up to provide complete access to complete information on Central and State Government schemes. Eligible candidates should be given the facility to apply on the same website. Governments, media, fact-checking systems, NGOs as well as a civil society must come onto a common platform and work together to tackle the problem of these 'fake' schemes.
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