Mumbai: While govt and people are fighting hard to contain the spread of highly infectious Novel Coronavirus and abide by the rules of lockdown, thus practicing social distancing, online transactions have seen a rife over the last couple of weeks. Considering the sudden shift of payment mode for anything and everything, cyber criminals too changed their routes and stepped up their game.
Mumbai Cyber Police have warned the citizens and asked to practice caution while making online transactions. With Coronavirus locking people up in their homes, the virus is now wreaking havoc in the virtual world too, with scamsters using it as bait for cybercrimes.
People, while making online transactions, receiving e-mails — purportedly from renowned health organisations like the WHO, UN and ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research), or even from corporates—along with websites, messages and apps, and it has been used for stealing crucial information.
Since most people are working from home and using more time on mobile phones, the incidence of such scams is rising because many of these devices are unprotected. Balsing Rajput, superintendent of Maharashtra Cyber Cell said, "People are lured with various offers and freebies on products, or listing of safety measures against the virus, and updated information on Covid-19.
Mails are also being used to sell fake medical products like masks, vaccines and Covid-19 testing kits, or push work-from home job offers." Subsequently, a new cybercrime that has come forward — attracting users to fundraising initiatives for victims of Covid-19 or inviting investments in companies that are helping fight the virus.
A senior official said, "A number of fake websites and domains wildly related to Coronavirus have sprung up on the worldwide web, with the cybercrime number increasing anywhere between 80 and 85 per cent every week since January.
