Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Cyber fraudsters are now targeting relatives of people who go missing. They pose as police or crime branch officials, and tell the target persons that their missing kin has been found. Then, they demand money to reach location and bring back their missing kin. Bhopal district cyber cell has registered three FIRs in this connection in last one month while 27 similar complaints have come to their notice.
In a recent case reported from TT Nagar, a private company employee Farukh Khan lodged a complaint about his brother Shaqeel who was missing for past nine days. He had uploaded information about his brother on all social media platforms, hoping that people would spread the word and help him trace his missing brother.
Khan received a call on Wednesday, where a man on the other side of the phone identified himself as a police inspector of Bhopal crime branch. He told Khan that his brother Shakeel’s location had been traced and he was in Vijay Nagar in Indore. Khan was happy to hear it. The caller who posed as inspector told him that his team would need Rs 25,000 to leave for Indore, fuel for car, and lodging arrangements in Indore.
He even sent the QR code to Khan on a messaging application. No sooner did Khan send him the money, he broke all contacts, after which Khan realised that he was cheated. He approached cyber crime cell and lodged a case against the unidentified accused.
Similar case was reported from Jehangirabad where a 69-year-old man fell prey to the same modus operandi. Officials of district cyber cell have advised people to stay cautious. When contacted, assistant commissioner of police (cyber crime) Sujeet Tiwari told Free Press that district cyber cell would issue an advisory regarding the modus operandi of crooks soon.
