2024.6.10, A businessman from Andheri who deals in industrial oil was cheated of Rs 1.5 lakh by a fraudulent caller. The caller, claiming to be from ‘Indian Army’, sought delivery of 2,090 litres of industrial oil to the military camp at Kalina.
2 fake links with Indian army, con bizman of 1.5L
Mumbai: A businessman from Andheri who deals in industrial oil was cheated of Rs 1.5 lakh by a fraudulent caller. The caller, claiming to be from ‘Indian Army’, sought delivery of 2,090 litres of industrial oil to the military camp at Kalina.
A case was registered at Andheri police station on Saturday against two persons — Rajiv Ranjan Kumar and Kuldeep Singh — who impersonated army personnel.
TOI has a copy of the first information report based on a complaint filed by the businessman, ME Shah (59).
On May 30, Shah received a WhatsApp message that read: ‘Sir whether industrial machinery oil is available with you’. The person also enquired about the price for 2,000 litres.
Shah’s complaint states that the following day, the person ordered 2,090 litres of oil and asked for it to be delivered at the military camp gate at Kalina. “I prepared the bill for Rs 2.73 lakh and sent it to the WhatsApp number. The person said that the payment would be made after delivery and asked me to reach the gate with the consignment,” the complaint states.
On reaching the gates, Shah got a call from Singh who said that Kumar had asked to coordinate with him. Shah has said in the FIR: ‘Upon arrival, I was asked to transfer Rs 2.73 lakh to a bank account to obtain a gate pass, with the assurance that the amount would be reimbursed along with the delivery payment.’
Singh requested an initial transfer of Rs 1.5 lakh. “But when the caller disconnected after he transferred Rs 1.5 lakh, Shah realised it was a scam,” a police officer said, adding that his suspicion was confirmed when he enquired at the gate and found out that it was a fraud.
A police officer said they have now sought details from the bank of the account to which the money was credited. Also, the police have directed the bank to block the account to which Shah was asked to transfer Rs 1.5 lakhs.
The police have urged citizens to be wary of such deals and to verify the authenticity of people they deal with.
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安德赫里一名从事工业用油交易的商人被一名电信诈骗者骗走 15 万卢比。该电话自称来自“印度军队”，要求将 2,090 升工业用油运往卡利纳军营。周六，安德赫里警察局对两名冒充军人的人——拉吉夫·兰詹·库马尔和库尔迪普·辛格——立案调查
2024.6.10, A new investment scam is currently spreading across the country, luring individuals with promises of high profits by investing in stocks. However, instead of real investments, the scammers make people invest on fake websites and later steal all their invested money. The latest victim of this scam is a 41-year-old businessman from Nagpur named Manish Mishra, who ended up losing Rs 87 lakh within a span of ten days.
Nagpur man tries to invest Rs 87 lakh in New York Stock Exchange, ends up losing all the money in new online scam
A 41-year-old businessman from Nagpur lost Rs 87 lakh in an online investment scam involving a fake NYSE trading platform. Lured by promises of high returns, the victim was scammed by an online man who he connected to on Facebook.
In Short
Nagpur businessman loses Rs 87 lakh in online investment scam
Scammer lured the victim with promises of high returns on NYSE trades
Victim realised the scam after being asked to pay an additional Rs 82 lakh for a security code
A new investment scam is currently spreading across the country, luring individuals with promises of high profits by investing in stocks. However, instead of real investments, the scammers make people invest on fake websites and later steal all their invested money. The latest victim of this scam is a 41-year-old businessman from Nagpur named Manish Mishra, who ended up losing Rs 87 lakh within a span of ten days.
The ordeal began when Mishra received a friend request on Facebook from Jesleen Prasad. Shortly after accepting the request, Prasad made an enticing offer to Mishra, suggesting he could trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) through a portal named newyorkstockexchangev.top. To convince him further, Prasad shared screenshots of successful trades from other investors on Facebook, which purportedly showcased significant profits, reports Times Of India.
Impressed by these testimonials, Mishra trusted the scammer and was persuaded to start with a small investment of Rs 10,000. After sharing his bank details, he received a login ID for the trading platform. To his surprise, an initial investment of Rs 50,000 appreciated to Rs 1.42 lakh within just ten minutes, and the amount was promptly remitted to his bank account. This initial success further strengthened Mishra’s confidence in the platform.
Within a week, Prasad offers the victim another lucrative offer: invest Rs 30 lakh with a promise of a tenfold profit. Additionally, Mishra was told that he would need to share 10 percent of the gains with the operators. Trusting the platform, Mishra proceeded with the investment and followed the trading instructions provided. However, instead of gaining profits, Mishra saw his entire investment wiped out within ten minutes.
When Mishra contacted Prasad in a panic, he was told that the losses occurred because he did not follow the instructions correctly. Prasad then presented another opportunity to invest Rs 57 lakh with a similar promise of tenfold returns. Desperate to recover his losses, Mishra agreed and invested the amount. This time, the trading screen showed a profit of Rs 8 crore in his name.
However, when Mishra requested a payout to his bank account, he was informed that a security code was required to process the transaction. To generate this code, Mishra was told he needed to pay an additional Rs 82 lakh. Realising he had been scammed, Mishra decided not to make the payment and instead approached the police and filed a complaint.
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一名来自纳格浦尔的 41 岁商人在一次涉及虚假纽约证券交易所交易平台的在线投资诈骗中损失了 870 万卢比。受害人在高额回报的诱惑下，被一名在 Facebook 上认识的网民骗走。
目前，一种新的投资骗局正在印度蔓延，骗子们承诺通过投资股票获得高额利润，以此引诱人们进行投资。然而，骗子们并没有进行真正的投资，而是让人们在虚假网站上进行投资，然后盗取他们所有的投资资金。这种骗局的最新受害者是来自纳格浦尔的 41 岁商人马尼什·米什拉 (Manish Mishra)，他在十天内损失了 870 万卢比。
2024.6.7, Online scams have reached epidemic levels in the cyber world, with a notable increase in various types of cyber fraud, including work-from-home scam, stock market fraud, and WhatsApp scams, leaving victims financially drained and emotionally stressed. Among these, one particular type stands out for its emotional manipulation: the romance scam. In this scam, perpetrators build a romantic relationship with their victims before deceitfully stealing their money.
Dating scams rising in metro cities, leaving hearts and bank accounts empty
Romance scams are surging in metro cities, leaving victims both heartbroken and financially ruined. Scammers use dating apps to lure individuals into costly traps, preying on their emotions and trust.
In Short
Dating scams are rising in metro cities like Delhi
Scammers are targeting individuals on apps like Tinder and Bumble
Scammers build fake romantic relationships and later deceive victims into playing hefty bills
Online scams have reached epidemic levels in the cyber world, with a notable increase in various types of cyber fraud, including work-from-home scam, stock market fraud, and WhatsApp scams, leaving victims financially drained and emotionally stressed. Among these, one particular type stands out for its emotional manipulation: the romance scam. In this scam, perpetrators build a romantic relationship with their victims before deceitfully stealing their money.
Currently, romance scams are on the rise in metropolitan areas like Delhi and Hyderabad, with many individuals reporting losses to supposed love interests they met on dating apps like Tinder. After going on dates and forming what they believed to be genuine relationships, these victims ended up losing their money in the name of love.
Let’s take a detailed look at what exactly is happening:
What is the Dating App Scam?
Individuals, especially men, seeking romance on popular dating apps like Tinder and Bumble, are falling prey to this well-orchestrated dating scam. In this scam, the fraudsters trick victims into going on expensive dates, leaving them both financially and emotionally drained.
According to reports, the perpetrators of this scam operate the ploy with precision and cunning. They initiate contact through dating apps, engaging their targets in seemingly genuine conversations. The scammers, often masquerading as newcomers to the city, fabricate stories of loneliness and the desire for companionship. They paint themselves as vulnerable individuals seeking solace in the company of others, a narrative carefully crafted to manipulate the emotions of their unsuspecting victims.
After establishing a connection of friendship and sometimes even love, the scammers then quickly try to arrange to meet at a local club, setting the stage for their deceptive ploy. Once at the club, the scam reaches its climax. The scammer, portraying an affluent lifestyle, orders drinks without regard for the cost, catching the men off guard.
Notably, many cafe managers or employees are said to be connected with these scammers to run the scheme collectively. After ordering food, when the bill arrives, it generally costs thousands, ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 rupees. Despite their initial disbelief, the victims are left to foot the entire bill as the scammer refuses to contribute a single penny or in some cases, scammers are often seen leaving the place earlier than the person they came with, leaving the victims to pay the hefty amount.
What sets this scam apart is its systematic nature. Multiple victims have come forward, each recounting a strikingly similar experience. From the initial contact on dating apps to the costly outings at local clubs, the pattern remains consistent.
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大都市中爱情诈骗猖獗，受害者不仅伤心欲绝，而且财物倾家荡产。诈骗者利用约会应用引诱人们陷入代价高昂的陷阱，利用他们的感情和信任。
网络诈骗在网络世界中已达到泛滥程度，各种类型的网络诈骗显著增加，包括在家办公诈骗、股市诈骗和 WhatsApp 诈骗，使受害者在经济上和情感上都陷入困境。其中，有一种类型的诈骗因其情感操纵而尤为突出：爱情诈骗。在这种诈骗中，犯罪者先与受害者建立恋爱关系，然后欺骗性地窃取他们的钱财。
目前，德里和海得拉巴等大都市地区的爱情骗局不断增多，许多人报告称，自己在 Tinder 等约会应用上遇到了所谓的恋人，却因此蒙受损失。这些受害者在约会并建立了自认为是真诚的关系后，最终却以爱情的名义损失了钱财。
让我们详细看看到底发生了什么：
个人（尤其是男性）在 Tinder 和 Bumble 等热门约会应用上寻找浪漫，却沦为这种精心策划的约会骗局的受害者。在这种骗局中，诈骗者会诱骗受害者参加昂贵的约会，让他们在经济和情感上都精疲力竭。
据报道，这种骗局的实施者手段精准狡猾。他们通过约会应用程序主动联系目标，与目标进行看似真诚的对话。骗子们经常伪装成刚到这座城市的人，编造孤独和渴望陪伴的故事。他们把自己描绘成脆弱的人，在他人陪伴中寻求慰藉，这种叙事是精心编造的，目的是操纵毫无戒心的受害者的情绪。
在建立友谊甚至是爱情关系后，骗子们会迅速安排在当地一家俱乐部见面，为他们的欺骗伎俩做准备。到了俱乐部，骗局达到了高潮。骗子假装自己生活富裕，不计成本地点酒，让男人措手不及。
值得注意的是，据说许多咖啡馆经理或员工都与这些骗子有联系，共同实施这一骗局。点餐后，账单送到时，通常要花费数万卢比，从 20,000 到 40,000 卢比不等。尽管受害者最初不相信，但最终他们不得不支付全部账单，因为骗子拒绝分一分钱，或者在某些情况下，骗子经常比他们一起来的人更早离开，让受害者支付巨额费用。
这种骗局的独特之处在于其系统性。多名受害者站出来承认了这一骗局，每个人都讲述了惊人相似的经历。从约会应用程序上的初次接触到在当地俱乐部的昂贵出游，这种模式始终保持一致。
2024.5.30, The Telangana police identified eight more individuals from the State who were promised a job and smuggled to Cambodia for running a fake call centre. This comes a month after Sircilla police arrested K. Sai Prasad, an agent of the cyber fraud gang, allegedly running a fake call centre in Cambodia.
Eight more Telangana youth who were smuggled to Cambodia for running a fake call centre identified
The Telangana police identified eight more individuals from the State who were promised a job and smuggled to Cambodia for running a fake call centre. This comes a month after Sircilla police arrested K. Sai Prasad, an agent of the cyber fraud gang, allegedly running a fake call centre in Cambodia.
“In the list of 20 individuals shared by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), we have identified eight people who are currently in Cambodia working in the call centre. They have been in touch with their families through WhatsApp. Details of these individuals are being shared with the Indian Embassy and will be rescued,” informed an official from Telangana State Cyber Security Bureau (TSCSB).
Meanwhile, verification of whereabouts of 12 others in the list is also being done through other channels, the official said.
The case was transferred to TSCSB on May 16 owing to the involvement of international criminals after the network was unearthed following the return of A. Shiva Prasad, who was conned into working in the call centre, after collecting ₹1.40 lakh on the pretext of a job in the Southeast Asian nation.
The police have identified three more agents in the network, of which one has been issued a notice under Section 41 of the CrPC while lookout notices are being issued for the other two who are currently not in the country.
The scam dates back at least three years which led to raids in call centres allegedly run by Chinese nationals defrauding individuals in loan app scams in the State. “They then decamped and re-established themselves in Nepal and Bangladesh. Following the clean-up operation in the two neighbouring countries, they have now shifted their base to Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam and have been targeting Indian youth from there,” the official explained.
Earlier this week, 60 Indian nationals, 15 of whom were from Vizag, were rescued by the embassy from fraudulent employers and returned home following the arrest of Chukka Rajesh Vijay Kumar, Mannena Gnaneswara Rao and Sabbavarapu Kondala Rao — local agents from Vishakhapatnam.
“The interesting part is that in many cases, like in Telangana, such agents themselves know their counterparts from Cambodia only through social media. They reach out to unemployed youth by offering them software jobs against the fee of ₹1.5 lakh and after reaching there individuals are forced to participate in cyber scams in India,” the official explained.
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又有八名因经营虚假呼叫中心而被偷运到柬埔寨的特伦甘纳邦青年被确认身份
2024.5.30, How criminals based in southeast Asia are trapping Indians online. In its analysis of trends seen from January to April, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) found that 46% of such frauds reported in this period — in which the victims cumulatively lost an estimated Rs 1,776 crore — originated in these three countries.
How criminals based in southeast Asia are trapping Indians online
In its analysis of trends seen from January to April, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) found that 46% of such frauds reported in this period — in which the victims cumulatively lost an estimated Rs 1,776 crore — originated in these three countries.
A large number of Indians are falling prey to financial fraud carried out over the Internet, allegedly by criminals based in three contiguous southeast Asian countries: Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
In its analysis of trends seen from January to April, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) found that 46% of such frauds reported in this period — in which the victims cumulatively lost an estimated Rs 1,776 crore — originated in these three countries.
The I4C works under the Union Home Ministry “to create an effective framework and ecosystem for the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrime in the country”.
National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) data show 7.4 lakh complaints were made between January 1 and April 30 this year, while 15.56 lakh complaints were received in all of 2023.
A total 9.66 lakh, 4.52 lakh, 2.57 lakh, and 26,049 complaints were received in 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019 respectively.
Types of cybercrime
The I4C has identified four broad categories of fraud originating from these three countries, following certain modus operandi.
TRADING SCAM: The alleged fraudsters issued ads on social media offering free trading tips, often using pictures of well known stock market experts and fake news articles. The victims were asked to join a WhatsApp group or Telegram channel, where they would receive “tips” on making money by investing in shares.
After a few days, the victims would be asked to install some specific trading applications and register themselves in order to receive further guidance on making “huge” profits. The victims would start “investing” on the apps, following recommendations made by the cybercriminals. None of these apps would be registered with the stock market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), but the victims typically neglected to check this.
The victims deposited money in particular bank accounts to “buy shares”, and were shown some fake profits in their digital wallets. But when they tried to withdraw this “money”, they were shown a message that they could do so only after they had accumulated a certain amount, say Rs 30-50 lakh, in their wallet. This meant the victim had to keep “investing” and, sometimes, had to also pay “taxes” on the “profits” they were purportedly earning.
“After analysing data from the first four months of this year, we found that Indians lost Rs 1420.48 crore in the trading scam,” I4C CEO Rajesh Kumar said.
DIGITAL ARREST: Potential victims would get a call in which the caller would tell them that the victims had sent or were the intended recipients of a parcel containing illegal goods, drugs, fake passports, or other contraband.
In some cases, relatives or friends of the target would be told that the target had been found to be involved in a crime.
Once they had the target — who would be chosen carefully — in their net, the criminals would contact them over Skype or another video calling platform. They would pose as law enforcement officials, often wearing uniforms and calling from places resembling police stations or government offices, and demand money for a “compromise” and “closure of the case”.
In certain cases, the victims were “digitally arrested”, which meant they were forced to stay visible to the criminals until their demands had been met. Indians lost a total Rs 120.30 crore in this type of scam in the January-April period, Kumar said.
INVESTMENT SCAM (TASK-BASED): Victims typically received a WhatsApp message from an overseas number, purportedly belonging to a representative of a company, with an offer to earn a large sum of money, say, Rs 30,000, while working from home.
Those who responded were told they would have to help boost the social media ratings of some entities by giving them a five-star rating. After the “task” was completed, victims received a “code”, which they were asked to share with their “admin” on Telegram.
The “admin” would ask the victims where they wanted to receive their money and, after a few five-star rating “tasks” on YouTube or Google reviews etc. were completed, would deposit a small sum, perhaps Rs 500.
At this point, the victim would be asked to participate in a “pre-paid” or “merchant” task, in which a higher return would be promised after a certain amount — which could be between Rs 1,500 and Rs 1 lakh — had been deposited. Victims who refused were blocked, but those who chose to participate were told the money and profit would come to them in a day.
However, the following day, the victims would be told that their “performance score” was not good enough, and they needed to improve it by participating in new tasks so they could get their money. Indian victims lost a total Rs 222.58 crore in this “investment scam (task based)”, Kumar said.
ROMANCE/DATING SCAM: This was a somewhat more conventional trap, though laid online. The victims, who were male, were lured by people they thought were foreign women. These “women” would propose relationships or marriage, and then make plans to come and meet in person. However, the victim would typically get a call from the “woman” that she had been detained at the airport, and needed money to get out.
On its website, the US FBI, which has dealt with such cases, says romance scamsters are experts at appearing genuine, caring, and believable. These con artists lurk on most dating and social media sites, and seek to quickly gain the victim’s trust.
Kumar said Indian victims lost a cumulative Rs 13.23 crore in romance/dating scams in the first four months of this year.
Why Southeast Asia
I4C zeroed in on Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia after analysing data on its National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), inputs received from states and Union Territories, and some open-source information.
“The cybercrime operations based in these countries employ a comprehensive array of deceptive strategies, including recruitment efforts by exploiting social media to lure Indians with fake employment opportunities,” Kumar said.
The I4C has found that many web applications used in the crime had Mandarin characters. “We cannot rule out some kind of Chinese connection,” Kumar said.
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东南亚犯罪分子如何在网上诱捕印度人
2024.5.30, Indian authorities have arrested five people accused of trafficking unwitting job seekers into Southeast Asian scam compounds, days after the repatriation of dozens of Indian nationals who had been lured into “fraud factories” in Cambodia and Laos.
Indian police arrest five accused of trafficking people into scam compounds
Indian authorities have arrested five people accused of trafficking unwitting job seekers into Southeast Asian scam compounds, days after the repatriation of dozens of Indian nationals who had been lured into “fraud factories” in Cambodia and Laos.
On May 27, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said it had searched locations across six states and seized evidence like digital devices and bogus employment letters.
“NIA investigations have revealed the accused to be involved in an organized trafficking syndicate engaged in luring and trafficking Indian youth to foreign countries on the false promises of legal employment,” the agency said in a press release, adding that the victims were forced to work in “fake call centers” in Laos and Cambodia.
“They were coerced into undertaking illegal activities online, such as credit card fraud, investments in Crypto currency using fake applications, honey trapping, etc,” the NIA said.
Southeast Asia’s cyber fraud industry, which is run primarily by Chinese organized crime groups with local connections on the ground, is fueled by a forced labor pool of people who are lured by promising job opportunities into large scamming compounds.
They are often paid little or nothing and are forced under physical threat to carry out cyber fraud like pig butchering scams — where a scammer gains the trust of a victim through messaging apps before tricking them into phony investments. Given their English language skills, strong technological skills and for many the lack of opportunities at home, Indians are an attractive target for scam groups.
According to Indian police, the five detainees were allegedly working “at the behest of foreign-based agents belonging to well organised syndicates.”
One of the five people arrested is the bodybuilder and social media influencer Balwant “Bobby” Kataria, who according to a complaint filed by two victims advertised fictitious job opportunities on his YouTube and Instagram channels.
Rather than going to the United Arab Emirates for work, as promised, the two men said they ended up in a scam center in Laos.
The trafficking of Indians into scam compounds in Southeast Asia has become such a problem that the Indian Embassy in Cambodia has posted a pop-up warning on its website warning citizens to be wary.
“It has come to [our] attention that Indian nationals, lured by fake promises of lucrative job opportunities in Cambodia, are falling into the trap of human traffickers,” the embassy says. “Indian nationals intending to visit Cambodia for employment are cautioned to do so only through authorized agents. It is also advised that the background of the prospective employer in Cambodia is checked thoroughly.”
The embassy recently helped secure the release of dozens of its citizens allegedly trafficked into a compound in the coastal city of Sihanoukville, one of the hubs of the cyber scam industry.
On May 20, video emerged on X (formerly Twitter) of a large group of Indians reportedly demanding their release from a compound in Sihanoukville called Jinbei 4. The men can be seen shouting on a basketball court within the compound when local police arrive.
The following day, after the video was shared widely, the Indian Embassy said it had heard from citizens trapped in the compound and that 60 of them had been taken by authorities to Phnom Penh for repatriation to India. In total, they said, 360 Indians have been rescued from scam centers in Cambodia.
On Sunday, 13 Indians trafficked into compounds in Laos returned to their home country.
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印度当局逮捕了五名涉嫌将不知情的求职者贩卖到东南亚诈骗场所的嫌疑人。几天前，印度当局刚刚遣返了数十名被诱骗到柬埔寨和老挝“诈骗工厂”的印度公民。
2024.5.27, The police said a cybercriminal added the complainant to a WhatsApp group and told him that he could earn huge profits through online share trading. A Pune-based 53-year-old man and his brother lost Rs 2.45 crore to an online share trading scam. The victim, who is a resident of Charholi Budruk, lodged the FIR in this case at the Dighi police station on Saturday.
Pune man, brother duped of over Rs 2 crore in online share trading scam
The police said a cybercriminal added the complainant to a WhatsApp group and told him that he could earn huge profits through online share trading.
A Pune-based 53-year-old man and his brother lost Rs 2.45 crore to an online share trading scam.
The victim, who is a resident of Charholi Budruk, lodged the FIR in this case at the Dighi police station on Saturday.
The police said a cybercriminal added the complainant to a WhatsApp group and told him that he could earn huge profits through online share trading.
Later, the fraudster also added the complainant’s brother to the same WhatsApp group.
The police said the complainant followed the instructions given by the fraudster and created a ‘share trading account’, through which he and his brother started ‘buying shares’ as per the tips received on the WhatsApp group.
Between January 5 and March 8, the complainant transferred Rs 1,67,80,000 and his brother transferred Rs 77,50,000 from their bank accounts to various other bank accounts through multiple online transactions, believing that the money was being invested in the share market.
“The complainant and his brother kept on transferring more money into fraudulent bank accounts… After a while, it was falsely shown to them that they had earned Rs 8 crore in the share trading business. The brothers then tried to withdraw the profit amount but failed. Then they realised it was a scam and filed a complaint with the police,” said senior police inspector Vijay Dhamal, the investigation officer of this case.
Dhamal said the complainant and his brother are into private jobs and lost their valuable savings to the cyber scammers. “We have identified three bank accounts in which their money was transferred. Attempts are on to recover the money,” he said.
Officials said that cyber criminals fish for potential targets through social media posts or phone messenger texts. Those who respond are added to online groups where they are offered online lessons and are asked to log in to certain share trading applications designed by cybercriminals.
“These applications have intriguing and technical-sounding names to make them seem authentic and fraudsters also misuse many big names in the wealth management sector claiming affiliations. As victims start sending money to fraudulent accounts, the fake apps start deceitfully displaying unrealistically high returns, luring victims into further investing substantial amounts. The fraudulent apps often mimic legitimate trading platforms, creating a false sense of security even reflecting ups and downs in the market. When victims try to withdraw their earnings, the fraudsters vanish,” a senior police officer said.
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浦那男子及其兄弟在网上股票交易骗局中被骗逾 2 千万卢比
警方称，一名网络犯罪分子将投诉人添加到 WhatsApp 群组，并告诉他可以通过在线股票交易赚取巨额利润。
2024.5.27, Most victims fell prey to online investment fraud, gaming apps, algorithm manipulations, illegal lending apps, sextortion, and OTP scams. Here is how much they lost. Between January and April 2024, Indian citizens suffered losses exceeding Rs 1,750 crore due to cybercriminal activities. This was reported through over 740,000 complaints lodged on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, which is managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Here is how much Indians lost to cyber frauds between Jan and Apr of 2024
Most victims fell prey to online investment fraud, gaming apps, algorithm manipulations, illegal lending apps, sextortion, and OTP scams. Here is how much they lost
Between January and April 2024, Indian citizens suffered losses exceeding Rs 1,750 crore due to cybercriminal activities. This was reported through over 740,000 complaints lodged on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, which is managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) stated that in May 2024, an average of 7,000 cybercrime complaints were recorded daily, marking a significant surge of 113.7 per cent compared to the period between 2021 and 2023, and a 60.9 per cent increase from 2022 to 2023, according to a report in the Economic Times.
Additionally, 85 per cent of these complaints pertained to financial online fraud.
The I4C, established by the Ministry of Home Affairs, serves as a framework for law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime. The significant escalation in reported cases is evident from 2019 to 2024, with 26,049 complaints recorded in 2019, 257,777 in 2020, 452,414 in 2021, 966,790 in 2022, 1,556,218 in 2023, and 740,957 in the first four months of 2024 alone.
Most victims fell prey to online investment fraud, gaming apps, algorithm manipulations, illegal lending apps, sextortion, and OTP scams. In 2023, the I4C reported over 100,000 investment fraud incidents. Digital arrests resulted in a loss of Rs 120 crore across 4,599 cases in the initial four months of 2024. Trading scams accounted for 20,043 cases, leading to a loss of Rs 1,420 crore to cybercriminals during the same period.
According to the data from I4C, investment scams resulted in a loss of Rs 222 crore across 62,687 complaints, while dating apps caused losses amounting to Rs 13.23 crore in 1,725 complaints. The total financial toll inflicted by cybercriminals on Indians from January to April 2024 reached Rs 176 crore.
The I4C reported its ongoing collaboration with regulatory bodies such as the Reserve Bank of India and fintech companies, among others, to address issues related to cybercriminals’ misuse of mule accounts and telecom infrastructure. Additionally, it continues to monitor and disrupt cybercrime operations, including blocking Skype accounts, Google and Meta advertisements, SMS headers, SIM cards, and bank accounts.
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2024 年 1 月至 4 月期间，印度人因网络诈骗损失惨重
以下是 2024 年 1 月至 4 月期间印度因网络欺诈造成的损失
大多数受害者都沦为在线投资诈骗、游戏应用程序、算法操纵、非法借贷应用程序、性勒索和 OTP 诈骗的受害者。
2024.5.26, It is recently reported that Indian nationals are being lured for employment through Thailand in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) — also known as Laos. These fake jobs are for posts such as of Digital Sales and Marketing Executives or Customer Support Service by dubious companies involved in call centre scams and crypto currency fraud in Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos, the Department said.
Tamil Nadu government warns against fake overseas job offers
To prevent Indians from falling into these traps and to stay alert against employment scams, it is advised to thoroughly investigate recruitment agents and the companies they will be working for before going abroad
Non Resident Tamils’ Welfare Department has flagged the issue of fake job offers overseas and warned of strict legal action through police against agents/agencies in Tamil Nadu sending people abroad for work without being registered with the Union Government.
Tamils are increasingly migrating to foreign countries for various employment opportunities. It has been reported that they have been taken to Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar on tourist visas under the pretense of IT jobs and are pressured to engage in illegal online activities, the department said in a statement.
Those who refuse are subjected to electric shocks and physical abuse. So far, the Department has rescued 83 Tamils from these countries, it said.
It is recently reported that Indian nationals are being lured for employment through Thailand in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) — also known as Laos. These fake jobs are for posts such as of Digital Sales and Marketing Executives or Customer Support Service by dubious companies involved in call centre scams and crypto currency fraud in Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos, the Department said.
Agents in places such as Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore and India associated with these firms are recruiting Indian Nationals by taking simple interviews and the typing test and are offering high salaries, hotel bookings along with return air tickets and visa facilitation, it added.
Victims are illegally taken across the border into Laos from Thailand and held captive to work in Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos under harsh and restrictive conditions. At times, they are taken hostages by criminal syndicates indulging in illegal activities and forced to work in strenuous conditions under constant physical and mental torture, the department said.
Visa on Arrival in Thailand or Laos does not permit employment and the Lao authorities do not issue work permits to Indian nationals coming to Laos on such visas. It may be noted that tourist visa is to be used only for the purpose of tourism, it noted.
Those convicted of human trafficking crimes have been sentenced up to 18 years in prison in Laos. Therefore, Indian nationals are advised not to get enticed and entrapped in such fraudulent or exploitative job offers and are requested to exercise extreme caution and verify the antecedents of recruiting agents as well as any company before taking up any job offer in Laos, the State government said.
For any help or clarification on job offers in Laos and Cambodia, please contact Indian Mission at Laos: Contact Number.+856-2055536568 or email: cons.vientianne@mea.gov.in and Indian Mission at Cambodia: cons.phnompehh@mea.gov.in andvisa.phnompehh@mea.gov.in, it said.
To prevent Indians from falling into these traps and to stay alert against employment scams, it is advised to thoroughly investigate recruitment agents and the companies they will be working for before going abroad, the department said.
Indians should only travel with an employment visa and a proper job contract and before travelling verify the authenticity of the visa through the Indian Embassy in the respective countries and the embassies of those countries in India, it said.
For information on overseas employment and resolving issues faced by Tamils abroad, contact the toll-free numbers of the Tamil Nadu Government’s Commissionerate of Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils: 18003093793 (within India) and 8069009901 (for calls from abroad) and 8069009900 (Missed Call No.)
Additionally, one can contact the Protector of Emigrants, Chennai, for assistance at 9042149222, B. Krishnamoorthy, Commissioner, Non Resident Tamils’ Welfare Department, said in a statement
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泰米尔纳德邦政府警告民众警惕虚假的海外工作邀请
为了防止印度人落入这些陷阱，并警惕就业骗局，建议在出国之前彻底调查招聘代理和他们将要工作的公司
据最近报道，印度国民正被诱骗通过泰国前往老挝人民民主共和国 (PDR) 就业。该部门表示，这些虚假职位是由涉嫌在老挝金三角经济特区实施呼叫中心诈骗和加密货币欺诈的可疑公司提供的，包括数字销售和营销主管或客户支持服务等职位。
报道还称，这些公司在迪拜、曼谷、新加坡和印度等地的代理商通过简单的面试和打字测试招募印度国民，并提供高薪、酒店预订、返程机票和签证便利。
受害者被非法从泰国带入老挝，在严酷和受限制的条件下被关押在老挝金三角经济特区工作。该部门表示，有时，他们被从事非法活动的犯罪集团劫持为人质，被迫在艰苦的条件下工作，不断遭受身体和精神折磨。
2024.5.26, It has been reported that fraudsters are making international spoofed calls displaying Indian mobile numbers to Indian citizens and committing cyber-crime and financial frauds. These calls appear to be originating within India but being made by the cyber-criminals from abroad by manipulating the calling line identity (CLI). Such international spoofed calls have been misused in recent cases of fake digital arrests, FedEx scams, drugs/narcotics in courier, impersonation as Govt and police officials, disconnections of mobile numbers by DoT/TRAI officials, etc.
(Ministry of Communications)
Government issues directions for blocking of incoming international spoofed calls displaying Indian mobile numbers
It has been reported that fraudsters are making international spoofed calls displaying Indian mobile numbers to Indian citizens and committing cyber-crime and financial frauds. These calls appear to be originating within India but being made by the cyber-criminals from abroad by manipulating the calling line identity (CLI). Such international spoofed calls have been misused in recent cases of fake digital arrests, FedEx scams, drugs/narcotics in courier, impersonation as Govt and police officials, disconnections of mobile numbers by DoT/TRAI officials, etc.
Therefore, Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have devised a system to identify and block such incoming international spoofed calls from reaching any Indian telecom subscriber. Now directions have been issued to the TSPs for blocking of such incoming international spoofed calls.
The incoming international spoofed calls with Indian landline numbers are being already blocked by the TSPs as per the directions issued by DoT.
As safety and security of the users is an integral part of vision of Digital India, DoT has already taken many initiatives including citizen centric Sanchar Saathi portal (https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/) to protect telecom users.
Despite best efforts, there may still be some fraudsters who succeed through other means. For such calls, you can help everybody by reporting such suspected fraud communications at Chakshu facility on Sanchar Saathi.
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政府发布指示，拦截显示印度手机号码的国际欺诈来电
据报道，诈骗者正在向印度公民拨打显示印度手机号码的国际假冒电话，并实施网络犯罪和金融诈骗。这些电话看似来自印度境内，但实际上是由来自国外的网络犯罪分子通过操纵呼叫线路身份 (CLI) 拨打的。此类国际假冒电话最近被滥用于虚假数字逮捕、联邦快递诈骗、快递毒品/麻醉品、冒充政府和警察官员、电信部/TRAI 官员切断手机号码等案件。
因此，印度电信部 (DoT) 和电信服务提供商 (TSP) 设计了一个系统来识别和阻止此类国际来电诈骗电话打到印度电信用户。目前，已向 TSP 发出指令，要求他们阻止此类国际来电诈骗电话。
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