People confined to their homes during the lockdown are scouring the internet in their quest for cheap deals and cyber-fraud business is now merrily chirping along on Twitter. Several fake enterprises have sprung up on Twitter, which collect users' information and dupe them. Maharashtra Cyberpolice have cautioned netizens to be on their guard and always check the authenticity of businesses before rushing to grab deals.
As Maharashtra is among the worst-hit states in the pandemic, many people have been shopping online, instead of going to the market. Sensing the potential in this situation, cyber scamsters have moved from traditional phishing and click-baiting to setting up fake Twitter accounts as business establishments and offering Covid essentials at below market rates.
Their modus operandi is to use common tags in a post, which will instantly feature in a Google search, directing the user to their Twitter handle. The next step is to obtain the user's bank information and dupe them. After several such cyber frauds emerged, police issued an advisory, cautioning users to look for red flags and report the website or Twitter handle, when they spot one.
An official explained, there is a newly launched Twitter handle, not verified by the social networking website. This handle provides no extra information on the seller's business -- like their website, address or a list of items available. "Every post about an item shared on this handle, which could be face shields, masks or gloves, among others, is supported by a similar link, which directs the user to a webpage where the potential victim is asked to enter their debit/credit card details, account number to complete the payment process."
After the item is purchased, the user receives a text message with a link to confirm the order, which is a link to the team viewer which allows screen-sharing. This text message is then followed by an OTP (one-time password), allowing the scamster to access your device. Since the scamster now has the account details and the access to the user's phone, duping the victim of thousands of rupees is a cakewalk.
