The420 Cybercrime News Update: Scams from Fake Swiggy to Impersonations and Task Frauds, with Police Actions Across Cities

Cybercrime alert: From fake Swiggy scam to task frauds, see how police across cities are tackling the latest cyber threats.

Published

1 month ago

April 5, 2024

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Elderly Man Loses Over Rs 3 Lakh in Online Scam Posing as Swiggy Customer Care

An elderly man lost over Rs 3 lakh to a scam while trying to contact Swiggy’s customer care, after his food order was not delivered on time.
The victim’s son, Nikhil Chawla, shared the incident on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, explaining how his father was duped by fraudsters who provided a fake customer service number via Google search.
The scammers first tricked the elderly man into a Rs 35,000 loss through UPI and then convinced him to share credit card details, leading to further unauthorized transactions.
Swiggy responded to the incident by clarifying they do not have an official customer care number and advised customers to use in-app chat support and report such matters to cybercrime authorities.
Nikhil Chawla urged the public to inform especially the elderly about the risks of such scams and mentioned that Swiggy has since taken action against the fraudulent website and search results to prevent similar incidents.

U.P. Board Warns Students of Cyber Scams Offering Grade Boosts

The U.P. Board has issued a warning to Class 10 and 12 students about cyber thugs attempting to defraud them by promising higher marks in exchange for money.
Dibyakant Shukla, the secretary of the U.P. Board, advised against responding to such fraudulent calls and encouraged reporting them to the district inspector of schools’ offices.
The U.P. Board has a history of dealing with similar fraud attempts by registering FIRs against the perpetrators, highlighting its commitment to conducting exams and evaluations fairly and without copying.
Fraudsters are contacting students and their parents directly, using the fear of poor grades or failure as leverage to demand money for supposedly increasing exam scores.
The Board has initiated a campaign to inform and protect students and parents, emphasizing the seriousness with which it views these fraudulent attempts, especially given the large number of candidates registered for the 2024 exams.

Bhopal Cyber Police Warn Against Fraudsters Impersonating ED, CBI, NIA, and NCB Officials

The Bhopal cyber police have issued a warning about cyber fraudsters impersonating officials from high-profile Indian law enforcement agencies like the ED, CBI, NIA, and NCB, with most scam calls originating from Pakistan and other countries.
A notable incident in Gwalior involved a retired teacher being scammed out of Rs 51 lakh after fraudsters put her under a form of ‘Digital House Arrest’ through her social media accounts, under the guise of law violations.
ADG Yogesh Deshmukh highlighted the scam’s modus operandi: fraudsters contact victims claiming that a parcel linked to them contained narcotics, leading to an imposed ‘Digital House Arrest’ until further notice.
Victims, tricked into believing they are speaking with law enforcement officials, comply with demands to isolate themselves in a room with their mobile and internet on, including the camera, and are instructed not to contact anyone.
The tactic instills fear in victims, making them susceptible to following the fraudsters’ instructions, which include remaining isolated under the pretense of legal scrutiny.

Pune Hit by Wave of Cyber Fraud: Victims Lose Rs 49 Lakh in Task Scams

Five separate incidents of cyber fraud were reported in the city on Wednesday, collectively amounting to a loss of Rs 49 lakh among the victims.
In one case, a 50-year-old was deceived by someone using the alias Farida Laila Alexander into paying Rs 11.92 lakh for a fraudulent part-time job involving liking, reviewing, and subscribing to YouTube videos.
Another victim reported a loss of Rs 20.07 lakh after being enticed by unknown individuals to join a WhatsApp group and participate in a scam task, spanning from March 13 to April 4.
A 26-year-old and a 34-year-old fell victim to similar task fraud schemes, losing Rs 8.08 lakh and Rs 5.03 lakh respectively, through deceptive part-time job offers.
Lastly, a 29-year-old reported a fraud case leading to a financial loss of Rs 3.61 lakh, adding to the series of scams exploiting individuals through false employment opportunities.

Gurugram Police Bust Cyber Fraud Ring: Two Arrested for Selling Bank Accounts to Criminals

Gurugram Police arrested two men, Ashutosh alias Rohit and Mohit, for creating bank accounts with forged identities and selling them to cyber criminals for crime proceeds.
The operation was uncovered following a complaint by a woman who was scammed out of Rs 20 lakh through a fake parcel scheme.
During the investigation, police discovered the duo’s involvement, leading to their arrest on March 31.
Authorities seized 38 ATM cards, 30 bank cheque books, eight mobile phones with SIM cards, along with a fake Aadhaar card, a PAN card, and a passport from the accused.
The interrogation revealed that the defrauded amount from the woman’s case was transferred to an account opened by Ashutosh with a counterfeit Aadhaar card, prompting further police investigation.

Jammu Cyber Cell Recovers Majority of Funds Lost in Financial Fraud

The Cyber Cell of the District Police in Jammu successfully recovered Rs.86,922 out of Rs.94,500 reported in a financial fraud complaint.
Swift action and diligent efforts by the Cyber Cell Dpo Jammu were crucial in halting the fraudulent transaction and securing the majority of the stolen funds.
SSP Jammu Dr. Vinod Kumar has urged the public to remain vigilant against cyber threats and report any suspicious activity promptly to the national helpline or the Cyber Cell DPO Jammu.
The public is also encouraged to utilize online platforms for lodging cyber complaints and reporting lost or stolen mobile devices.
The District Police Jammu’s deployment of advanced technology and trained personnel underscores its commitment to leading the fight against cybercrime.

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