Madhya Pardesh: State Cyber Cell Cautions Against Cyber Crimes  

Indore (Madhya Pardesh): The state cyber cell has released an advisory to caution people about different types of cybercrimes.

Cheating by exploiting fear of children's arrest

Currently, a unique cybercrime trend involves deceiving people into sending money by claiming that their children, studying in a distant city, have been arrested by the police for some offence.

Often, children are unable to answer calls due to their busy schedules with college or coaching, leading parents to believe that their child is indeed in trouble. Fraudsters also leverage technologies like AI to mimic children's voices during phone calls, further convincing parents of the authenticity of the situation, prompting them to transfer large sums of money to the perpetrators.

Precautions: Avoid answering calls, WhatsApp calls/video calls, or Telegram calls from unknown numbers. Refrain from trusting unknown individuals and refrain from disclosing information about your family and children. Exercise caution when someone claiming to be a police officer or lawyer contacts you; verify their credentials before taking any action. In case of any cybercrime incident, promptly report it to the nearest police station or through www.cybercrime.gov.in or the toll-free Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930.

Child pornography

In the current digital landscape, involvement in any activity related to child pornography, including creation, storage, receipt, download, exchange, distribution, browsing, searching, or promotion, constitutes a criminal offence under various sections of the IT Act, IPC, and POCSO Act. The government actively monitors such activities and takes strict action against offenders through the State Cyber Police of Madhya Pradesh.

Precautions: Avoid joining any social media groups (Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.) involved in the exchange of child pornography. Refrain from visiting websites or installing applications containing child pornography material.

Digital arrest fraud perpetrated in the name of investigation agencies

In recent times, a specific type of cybercrime involves fraudsters contacting individuals via calls or WhatsApp, often originating from +92 (Pakistani) numbers or other international numbers (+91). The perpetrators impersonate officers from investigation agencies such as NCB, CBI, ED, NIA, etc., falsely claiming that a parcel in the recipient's name containing narcotics has been seized. Sometimes, they demand money for court fees, bail, or for removing the recipient's name from the case.

Precautions: Avoid answering calls, WhatsApp calls, video calls, or Telegram calls from unknown numbers, especially those starting with +92. Indian law does not mandate digital arrests, so do not isolate yourself based on someone's advice or fear. Refrain from sharing personal information such as bank account details, Aadhaar, etc., with anyone. Do not transfer money to unfamiliar accounts. No legitimate organisation advises depositing or saving personal funds in any government account.