Can you protect yourself from cyber fraud? Here are some handy tips

The man’s case is among thousands of cyber crime incidents reported across Delhi and the country for the past two years.

According to police, scamsters in these cases often prey on unsuspecting individuals with convincing tactics, such as fake job offers, alarming claims about courier packages, mobile numbers being used for terror funding/illegal activities or threats of digital arrest.

While many people dismiss these calls as fraudulent, some fall victim to their schemes. It’s essential to stay vigilant and know how to protect yourself from these threats

What can one do in case they become a victim of cyber crime?

Police officials in the cyber unit said the Department of Telecom has an application called, ‘Sanchar Saathi’, which is available for iOS and Android users.

A senior cyber official said, “On the app, you can enter your credentials and cross check if your Aadhaar card or your name is being used by any other number. If you find it is so, it can be reported.”

“When we realise the call could be a scam, most of us disconnect it. Instead, one should report the mobile number on this application to bring it under scrutiny.”

Officials said if three people report the number, then it is automatically blocked. If 10 people report the number, then the IMEI in use is blocked.

“We are not saying that this will stop cyber crime but all these measures can at least help. The one thing that scamsters use the most to dupe people are mobile numbers. If it is taken away or numbers are brought to the notice of the telecom department, then one can help prevent crimes.”

The application also allows users to report if the call is from an international number.

Police officers also requested victims who fall prey to cyber frauds to report the matter immediately on the 1930 cyber crime portal. “The faster the matter is reported, the better it is,” a senior police officer said.

What do advisories state?

In March this year, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) issued an advisory on ‘digital arrests’.

“Many complaints are being reported on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP)

regarding intimidation, blackmail, extortion and ‘Digital Arrests’ by cyber criminals posing as police authorities, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Narcotics Department, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Enforcement Directorate and other Law Enforcement Agencies. Several victims have lost large amounts of money to such criminals. This is an organised online economic crime and is learnt to be operated by cross-border crime syndicates,” it said.

It detailed the methods used to dupe people, including impersonating officers through IVR calling, intimidation tactics, digital confinement or victims being forced to stay on video calls, often over Skype and WhatsApp, till demands are met and demands for money to conceal proof of ‘illegal activity’.

Issuing a list of precautions, the I4C advisory stated: “Real law enforcement won’t arrest you digitally. There is no concept of Digital Arrest under any Indian Laws… Always verify the identity of the caller or sender before taking any action, contact the nearest police station directly to verify the claim/identity. Speak to your relatives and friends before taking any action to transfer money. Report cyber frauds immediately at http://www.cybercrime.gov.in or by calling 1930.”