Rising Cyber Fraud: DOT Blocks 20 Mobile Numbers
In India, cases of cyber fraud are increasing at the same pace as technological advancements. Due to this alarming trend, the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) has blocked 20 mobile numbers associated with cyber fraud incidents. This action was taken after a young woman shared her unsuccessful encounter with cyber fraud in a social media post.
In her post, the woman recounted how she was working at her office when she received a call on her phone. The caller, speaking in an elderly voice, claimed to be her father and said, “Aditi, I need to send money to your father, but he is not available, so I am asking you to help.” Subsequently, the woman received an SMS notification on her phone, similar to those sent by banks when money is credited.
The woman explained further in her post that during the call with the cyber criminal, she received an SMS indicating a credit of Rs. 10,000, followed immediately by another SMS showing a credit of Rs. 30,000. The fraudster, sounding distressed, then claimed that he only intended to send Rs. 3,000 but mistakenly sent Rs. 30,000. He pleaded with her to return the extra amount, saying, “I am standing at the doctor’s place. I need to pay him.”
Avoiding the Scam Due to Alertness
The woman noted that due to her alertness, she realized something was amiss and started shouting loudly that she had sent extra money by mistake and needed it back urgently. She described this as the cyber criminal’s true intention—to deceive her into transferring money.
She further explained that anyone could fall victim to such a situation, but she was fortunate to have been educated by her father about verifying transactions beforehand. Therefore, she immediately checked her account balance, which matched the amount shown in the SMS before it was received.
Blocked Number by Cyber Criminal
Continuing her story in the post, she revealed that when she called the number back to inquire about the transaction, she discovered that her number had been blocked by the cyber criminal.
The post concludes with advice to others who might encounter a similar situation, urging them not to act hastily. Instead, they should report such incidents to the police and seek assistance through official channels dedicated to cybercrime prevention.
Reporting Cyber Crimes
Victims of cyber fraud can file complaints both online and offline. For offline complaints, individuals can visit their city’s cybercrime police station and submit a written complaint. Online complaints can be lodged through the official website of the Cyber Crime Portal at https://cybercrime.gov.in. Additionally, individuals can call the Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930 to provide information about such incidents. They can also register complaints on the Indian government’s Chakshu Portal.
This incident highlights the importance of staying vigilant and taking prompt action to protect oneself from falling prey to cyber fraud.