Mumbai Police Warns Against 'One Ring' And 'Pig Butchering' Scams; Issues Alert To Citizens

Mumbai: The police have issued an alert, warning the citizens against 'one ring' and 'pig butchering' frauds. As the name suggests, one ring scam is a deceptive tactic to trick targets by giving missed calls. If the person calls back, he/she is connected to a premium-rate line, incurring hefty charges per minute, said the alert.

The scammers may also copy the target's contact list and even steal sensitive information like bank or credit card details if they are saved on the phone. “Such calls originate from places like Belarus, Latvia, Serbia, Valparaiso, Vilnius and Tanzania,” said the alert. It appealed to the citizens to never answer or call back on suspicious international numbers rather block them.

Explaining the pig butchering fraud, the alert said, “It is a sophisticated scam wherein cybercriminals build trust with targets, often over weeks or months, to manipulate them into fraudulent investments."

Scammers usually contact the individual through social media, dating apps or messaging platforms, pretending to form a relationship or friendship. Once trust is established, they persuade the person to invest in fake cryptocurrency, stocks or other financial schemes, said the alert.