Punjab cops caution people against messages for financial aid

The Punjab Police on Wednesday asked people to be wary of messages from people impersonating an officer or a dignitary with fake WhatsApp Ids and seeking financial favours.

The Cyber Crime Cell of the state also asked people to immediately report such messages on the toll-free number '1930'.

Inspector-General of Police R K Jaiswal of Punjab’s Cyber Crime Cell in an official statement said two such cases of fraudsters trying to dupe gullible people while posing as VVIPs have come to the notice in less than a month.

He said police have registered two FIRs under relevant sections of the IPC and IT Act on April 26 and May 19 at the state’s Cyber Crime Cell in Mohali.

Jaiswal advised people to refrain from reacting on the basis of profile pictures or names of purported officers or dignitaries on any WhatsApp or social media account using suspicious websites (torrent, short-end URLs etc) that can host malicious scripts.

He also advised people not to give their confidential information such as OTP, bank accounts, credit or debit card details or social security numbers to anyone to save themselves from getting tricked by fake social media accounts.

Sharing details about the modus operandi in such cases, DIG Nilambari Jagdale of the Cyber Crime Cell said the primary motive of culprits happens to dupe recipients and this kind of fraud is prevalent all over India. These unscrupulous elements take unauthorised access to the mobile phones of unsuspecting and gullible individuals by using various hi-tech means, she said.

''Thereafter, the accused impersonate senior officers or dignitaries and demand financial favours in the shape of some gift vouchers or on the pretext of a medical emergency,'' the DIG said.

She said the cybercrime teams have been collating many facts and joining the necessary dots to reach the perpetrators involved in such crimes.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)