Kerala cyber crime division finds it robust to nab scammers with faux profiles

Express News Service

KOCHI: Recently, a probe into duping of a number of individuals of their cash by making a faux profile on Facebook took Kerala cyber crime cops to Malda district in West Bengal. The cellphone quantity given by the fraudsters was within the identify of an individual belonging to a tribal hamlet there.

Interestingly, he had not ever seen a wise cellphone. During investigation, it was discovered that two individuals took his {photograph} and fingerprints within the guise of gathering an software type for offering a mortgage earlier.

The fraudsters procured a SIM card utilizing his private particulars and used this quantity for dishonest individuals. Realising the innocence of the particular person, the officers left the place with out recording his arrest.

While the cases of making faux profiles on varied social media platforms to cheat individuals are spiking within the state, monitoring the fraudsters down by way of the financial institution accounts or cellphone numbers given by them has proved to be a troublesome job for the investigators.

In a lot of the current instances, fraudsters have been discovered utilizing financial institution accounts and cellphone numbers obtained within the names of poor illiterate villagers in varied north Indian states. “It was found that fake profiles created by the fraudsters were operated from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and other north Indian states. However, only a few persons could be arrested in such incidents,” mentioned an officer.

As per the info with the cyber crime police, 3,323 instances have been registered within the state up to now since 2016. Of these, just one,831 instances have been solved and solely 34 individuals awarded punishment. The fraudsters had even created faux profiles of high cops, political celebration leaders and different outstanding personalities to dupe individuals.

The newest such FB profile created was that of Kerala Bank chairman and CPM chief Gopi Kottamurikkal. Even after the faux profile was reported to FB, his associates continued to obtain requests for cash.

Advocate Jiyas Jamal, an professional in cyber safety legal guidelines and founding father of Kochi-based NGO Cyber Suraksha Foundation, mentioned the reporting of fraud and pretend IDs on the social media platforms has elevated after these platforms launched the system to detect fraud, impersonation or faux account or pages.

“As per the law, the social media platform should appoint a nodal officer to look into the reporting of fake IDs or fraud. However, they are not taking further steps other than the acknowledgment sent to the users or complainants,” mentioned Jamal.

Cyber crime cops mentioned most of the complainants didn’t even confirm the requests for fund transfers in particular person. “If the person who gets such a request makes a phone call to the friend mentioned, he/she can easily find out whether it is genuine. The majority of victims in these cases were professionals,” mentioned Ok Baby, SI with Kochi Cyber Crime police station.

Underprivileged villagers exploited

Fraudsters have been discovered utilizing financial institution accounts and cellphone numbers obtained within the names of poor illiterate villagers in varied north Indian states. As per knowledge with the cyber crime police, 3,323 instances have been registered within the state since 2016