Cybercriminals, especially the ones based in Nigeria and other African countries who often dupe people in India by sending e-mails or text messages on their mobile phones claiming fake lottery prizes, are now brushing-up their methods by teaming up with Indian cyber criminals based here only. They are trying to get more access to the data comprising personal information such as name, contact number, e-mail id and mailing addresses of their targets. In lieu of the data they give a certain amount of money to their Indian accomplices.
“Nigerians and cyber criminals of other African countries have now teamed up with Indian cyber criminals to get access to the data which is crucial in duping people. They have now started this because due to the enhanced cyber security system protecting the databases in companies and other organisations like banks or hospitals, they could not hack them which earlier they could easily do,” said cyber security expert Hemraj Singh Chauhan while speaking to Free Press.
Chauhan further said due to more solid security systems protecting the databases, the cyber criminals in India were getting access to the database in person by buying the same from their contacts in the source, which was completely illegal.
“The database is then sold to cyber-criminals sitting across the border for a particular amount. This is also one of the main reasons for them to team-up with the desi ones. Apart from this now the phishing e-mails and messages which were earlier sent by the Nigerian ones to dupe people in the name of lottery are now being sent by their Indian accomplices because they now believe that the potential victims can easily fall victim by seeing an e-mail id based in India or a contact number based in India. Once they become successful in trapping the victim, they share the amount received by duping,” said Chauhan.
“In this nexus, it is almost impossible for the cyber police to catch the accused through virtual world. The only option is to nab the accused physically on the basis of human intelligence and then busting the network,” he added.
Speaking on the issue SP, state cyber cell, Shailendra Singh Chauhan said it was very difficult for the cyber police to nab the accused in such cases.
“The nexus which works to get unauthorised access to data comprising confidential and personal information of people is a headache and would remain a headache until and unless necessary actions are taken against the one leaking data, whether he is sitting in a bank or any private organisation. But unfortunately no actions are taken against them despite the fact that the cyber police have said many times that bodies like banks and the companies should be held responsible for the leakage of sensitive data which ultimately falls in the hands of cyber criminals,” said Chauhan.
