Master Storytellers: Unveiling the World of Cyber Crooks

Cyber crooks, often devoid of extensive education in technology, excel in weaving compelling tales to defraud victims online. Hemant Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police, elaborated on their tactics during an interview. Despite their limited academic backgrounds, these criminals exploit social media data to dupe victims, posing as law enforcement officials to extort money through various schemes.

Cyber crooks are not tech experts but adept storytellers, using their talent to deceive online victims, a top police officer revealed.

Hemant Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Cyber Crime unit in Delhi, shared insights into the profiles of these criminals and their victims.

Despite lacking strong academic credentials, these fraudsters manage to gain the trust of their victims. An instance involved an elderly woman from West Bengal who, even after being warned by police, called the accomplices of the arrested scammer for advice.

Victims are often well-educated individuals seeking companions on matrimonial sites or seasoned investors. A new scheme, 'digital arrest,' has surfaced wherein fraudsters impersonate law enforcement, coercing victims into house arrest and extorting money.

Scammers meticulously research victims' social media profiles to craft believable narratives, leading to swift trust-building and eventual financial exploitation through various pretexts, including investment schemes and extortion threats.

Tiwari emphasized the alarming rise in cyber fraud cases, with Delhi alone reporting around 700 victims daily. Cybercriminals exploit the victims' ignorance, greed, or fear to extort money, using tactics like sextortion and digital arrest.

Delhi Police have uncovered financial frauds amounting to over Rs 500 crore this year. The network of cybercriminals is expanding across India, with certain regions becoming hubs for opening fraudulent bank accounts and procuring SIM cards.

Regions in Madhya Pradesh, South India, Assam, and West Bengal are identified as critical zones for these operations. Tiwari's unit is vigilant in tracking these hotspots to curb the growing menace of cybercrime.

(With inputs from agencies.)