Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Crime Branch successfully recovered Rs 2.13 crore duped from several people through online frauds in four months of 2024, police said on Wednesday. The crime branch received complaints of online fraud through various channels such as cyber helpline, Citizen Cop and the NCRP portal and promptly responding to complaints.
The fraud investigation cell of the Crime Branch gathered details from victims, ensuring the retrieval of their money. The Crime Branch team recovered Rs 2.13 crore of complainants’ money from January to April, 2024. In 2021, CB recovered Rs 1.37 crore and in 2022 it recovered Rs 3.92 crore which increased to Rs 4.32 crore in 2023. The Crime Branch also issued cyber guidelines to make people aware against falling prey to online fraudsters and to report incidents to the concerned authority if they fall prey to online fraud.
Mode of fraudsters to dupe people:
* People are cheated by individuals pretending to be bank officials and asking them to increase credit/debit card limits, redeem gift vouchers and reduce annual charges.
* People got cheated when they searched Google for fake customer care numbers of e-commerce websites, couriers, banks and wallet companies without checking their credibility and got in touch with the fraudster.
* The fraudsters pretend to be acquaintances and narrate false personal problem and then cheat by calling for immediate help and contacting on social media through fake calls.
* Fraudster promotes work from home (WFH) through fake advertisements and videos on social media and contact people and cheat them in the name of getting them fake jobs like data entry or typing work.
* Cheating by luring people into online lottery, KBC, Gift, cashback, loan, insurance and festival offers, online shopping, etc.
* Fraud perpetrated by fraudsters in the name of Central Force (BSF, Army, CISF, etc.) by lying to people as per their profession and getting the payment processed by sending fake links or QR code in the name of payment.
* Cheating people by making them register OTP and UPI PIN by lying about sending payment in the name of selling and buying goods through Olx.
* The fraudster commits sextortion fraud by creating unknown attractive profiles on social media, befriending people and recording their nude video calling.
* By giving task based work to people through Telegram and WhatsApp groups, in which initially people are cheated by giving profit in small investment and later by making people make big investment.
