Cybercriminals forced documents from a woman and received a loan of Rs 9.91 lakh in her name while she was under “DigitalArrest” in a shocking incident that happened in Ghaziabad. After that, the full amount was moved to the criminals’ accounts. This came into notice when she went to her bank and learned about the scam.
Rajbagh Colony in Sahibabad resident Manika Gupta reported the fraud to the cyber police station. The event happened on June 11 when she got a call from an unknown number, according to the FIR. The caller claimed to be from a courier firm and said that she had received suspicious goods in her name from Iran.
The caller raised the situation by saying that drugs were in the package and that it was a significant issue when Manika denied any contact with the courier. After that, the call was allegedly passed to a person faking a Mumbai Police official, who went on to say that the CBI was now handling the matter. Manika was tricked by cybercriminals posing as law enforcement officers into believing she was the victim of identity theft and that her support was required to stay out of trouble.
Digital Arrest Tactics
Manika was forced to provide personal and financial details, such as her bank account number, Aadhaar card, and PAN card, by the criminals while they were holding her on a video chat. They informed her that, as part of the investigation, a small amount would be deposited into her bank account. Manika soon got a notification informing her that Rs 9.91 lakh had been transferred into her account. She sent the entire sum to the accounts the criminals gave, per their instructions.
Manika became suspicious after the fraudsters stopped communicating, so the next day she went to her bank to find out that the fraudsters had used the documents she had submitted to obtain an online personal loan in her name.
Rising Cybercrime in Ghaziabad
This incident is a part of Ghaziabad’s increasing cybercrime trend. Over 100 cases of “digitalarrest” fraud were reported in the city between January and July of this year, according to police reports, with victims losing over Rs 65 crore. Threats of imprisonment are a regular element of fraud, frequently linked with false claims of identity theft or rape. In about 40% of these incidents, women have been the target.
Manika’s case has been given to the cyber police unit to look into. With the help of the given bank account information and mobile numbers, they are trying to track down the criminals and freeze the stolen money.
Conclusion
These examples show the growing level of cybercrime methods in India, where cybercriminals are now forcing victims into paying them money by creating fear and manipulation. The public is being advised by authorities to use precaution and to confirm the identity of anyone calling for financial transactions or personal information.
People need to be aware of the strategies used by cybercriminals and report any suspicious activity to the police right away, as cybercrime is on the rise.
Also read: DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) Batch 2 Changes and Expectations from BFSI sector
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