Cyber Crime
Cyber Scam Epidemic Hits Hyderabad’s Old City – Women Mostly Targeted
The Old City of Hyderabad has recently experienced a distressing surge in online fraud incidents, causing concern among local authorities. Over the past few months, records indicate that there has been a significant rise in cyber fraud cases, with May 2 alone witnessing 11 reported instances across various police stations. The Rein Bazaar police station alone accounted for six of these cases, with the majority of victims being women.
One victim, Nazia Fatima, an assistant professor and resident of Rein Bazaar Chaman, Yakutpura, suffered a loss of nearly 40,000 rupees. She fell prey to a fraudulent scheme after completing a bank transaction. Fatima received a message on her mobile phone, urging her to download the Telegram app and enticing her with the prospect of lucrative part-time work. She was subsequently instructed to scan a QR code and send 200 rupees as an initial investment. Unfortunately, within minutes of complying with these instructions, Fatima lost 38,999 rupees from her bank account, falling victim to the scam.
In another case, Nausheen Banu, a resident of Ali Nagar, Shah Ali Banda, was duped by individuals posing as customer care executives from an e-commerce website. Banu had initially ordered a lip balm worth 317 rupees from the website and subsequently decided to cancel the order. She contacted a customer care number she found online, only to receive a call from someone who claimed to be an executive from the e-commerce site. The fraudulent caller provided Banu with a link on PhonePe, supposedly for accepting a refund. Unbeknownst to Banu, this was an elaborate trap, resulting in her losing 19,384 rupees in a single transaction.
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Umesh Dubey, a resident of Gowlipura Murad Mahal, shared his experience of being swindled by a fraudster while searching for job opportunities online. Dubey was promised employment in exchange for a small commission. Upon clicking on the link provided by the fraudster, he was robbed of 44,600 rupees.
While these cases are being reported throughout the city, law enforcement officials emphasize that the lack of awareness among the general public is a significant contributing factor to the prevalence of these scams in the south zone and its surrounding areas.
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Previously, cases related to cybercrime were only registered at the centralized cybercrime police station located in the Central Crime Station (CCS). However, local police stations are now equipped to handle such complaints, highlighting the increasing prevalence of cyber fraud.
Police officials claim that since June 2021, people in Telangana have collectively lost approximately 600 crore rupees to cyber fraudsters. In response to this alarming trend, P Sai Chaitanya, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for the south zone, emphasizes the efforts being made to detect and investigate cybercrime cases while also raising awareness among the public to prevent them from falling victim to online scams.
As the number of online fraud cases continues to rise in the Old City, it is crucial for residents to remain vigilant, exercise caution when sharing personal information online, and promptly report any suspicious activities to the authorities. Awareness and education about online scams are essential to protect individuals from falling prey to cyber fraudsters and maintaining a secure digital environment.
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