Cyber crooks on the prowl
The victim was directed to open a malicious link and type in a one-time password (OTP), following which the fraudster used the target’s credit card to take away Rs 3.7 lakh. The victim executed two transactions of Rs 50,000 each, police said. In one such incident reported from Middleton Street, a fraudster, posing as a banking representative, targeted a resident, claiming his reward points were expiring.
Claiming this seasonal surge in cyber fraud reflected a nationwide trend, police said Jamtara-, Dhanbad- and Asansol-based gangs, which were aware of local festivities, and Mewati gangs were behind the frauds as the “modus operandi were similar”. Even as cops registered cases under BNS for cheating by impersonation, fraud and cybercrime, cyber cell officers urged the public to remain vigilant, especially during the festive period, cautioning citizens against sharing OTPs, clicking on unknown links or transferring money, based on unverified requests.
In Beleghata, a scammer created a duplicate Facebook profile, that of an acquaintance of a victim, messaged the victim and made him digitally transfer Rs 1 lakh by scanning a QR code. Social media impersonation has also re-emerged as a major threat.