Raipur: Cases of cyber fraud are on the rise in Raipur and they are easily getting trapped in the web of cyber thugs. It is learnt that fraudsters are adopting new methods for cheating. Nowadays, the thugs have listing their numbers in the name of many companies on Google. As soon as people call the company concerned, the cyber thugs carry out the crime of cheating by asking for an OTP.
Fake websites of big companies: Thugs maintain their mobile numbers under the names of mobile companies or big industries on fake websites. It looks exactly like the original website. On it, the thugs upload their numbers on the helpline. On the digital platforms, instead of the emergency number, the numbers of their fake organisations have been uploaded. People call for help on the numbers. The thugs begin their process by sending a link to your mobile number. After that, they withdraw money from your account.
Nigita Singh, a resident of Shanti Nagar, had filed a report of fraud. Nigita wanted to transfer her gas connection from Vikram Gas Agency of Bemetara to Kanha Gas Agency of Raipur at Telibandha. For this, she searched the gas agency's number on Google and called the mobile number she got from it. A QR code was sent to her and she was asked to scan it with PhonePe. The call receiver said that the registration will be done after the money gets transferred. After this, the miscreants got her involved in a conversation and stole about Rs 98,000 from her account.
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Shubhankar Sharma had also lodged a complaint with the Cyber Cell located at Civil Lines. Shubhankar told that his Instagram account was hacked. To complain about it online, he searched for the number of the Cyber Cell on Google. A while after he called on that number and complained about it, a WhatsApp call came from the same number, and money was demanded in return for providing a receipt. Along with this, an OTP also came to him and he was asked to share it. Shubhankar understood that he was being set up for fraud and instead of telling the OTP, he went and lodged a complaint with the Cyber Cell.
How to avoid fraud: Cyber expert Mohit Sahu said, "When searching for a company's number or customer care number on Google, we should be careful because cyber thugs showcase their number on those fraud websites. To avoid this, follow the three golden rules". First of all, calmly notice the number (on the fraudulent website). Notice the URL where the number is mentioned. Secondly, is that URL of the same website that you were looking for? Third, you should know when to stop. If you think that this is not the website you were looking for, then you should leave it.
Also, if you ever visit a website on Google, go to its settings and check if its URL is authorised or not, and also try to send an e-mail instead of calling the customer care number. This will keep your data much safer.
What do the Officials say: Anti-crime and Cyber unit in-charge Girish Tiwari said about this matter, "If anyone found the website they searched for as fake and the customer care number as suspicious based on a complaint their number is blocked. Also, an effort is made to block the website also. If any company asks for an OTP number, then people should understand immediately that a fraud is happening with you."
