New Delhi:

Centre has introduced a new system to identify and block incoming international spoofed calls before they can reach Indian telecom subscribers. 

This comes amid a spate of incidents where users were “digitally arrested”, and threatened with mobile disconnection, cybercriminals even impersonation of government officials or law enforcement agencies, including false accusations involving drugs, narcotics, and sex rackets. Recently, Vardhaman Group head was cheated of Rs 7 crore. 

How Does The System Work

The system has been deployed in two phases – First, at the Telecom Service Provider (TSP) level, to prevent calls spoofed with phone numbers of their subscribers. Second, at a central level, to stop calls spoofed with the number of subscribers from other TSPs. 

The Centre said all four TSPs have successfully implemented the system.

The Centre said around 4.5 million spoofed calls are being stopped from entering the Indian telecom network. The next phase, involving a centralized system which will eliminate the remaining spoofed calls across all TSPs, is expected to be commissioned soon.

Recently, a fraudster impersonating Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, a fake virtual courtroom and documents closely resembling original ones were part of the elaborate plan through which Vardhman Group head SP Oswal was duped of Rs 7 crore.

Mr Oswal, chairman and managing director of the textile manufacturer, was put under “digital arrest” on August 28 and 29 and made to transfer Rs 7 crore into multiple accounts. Police have managed to freeze these accounts and recover over Rs 5 crore so far.

Read more: A Call, Digital Arrest, Rs 7 Crore Transferred: How Vardhman Boss Was Duped

One of the key techniques used by every scammer in a ‘digital arrest’ is surveillance and victims are asked to stay on a video call over Skype, Zoom or any such platform on their laptop and switch to a video call on their phone even if they move to another room. 

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, several victims have lost large amounts of money to scammers carrying out ‘digital arrests’.

Experts say the fear psychosis that scamsters create in the minds of their victims, makes them believe that whatever they are being told is real and they are indeed under investigation for serious crimes, with the potential of being locked up for an extended period if they don’t comply. 

Read more: Surveillance, Fear: How People Are Losing Crores To ‘Digital Arrest’ Scams

Next Course Of Action

Cybercriminals have devised new ways to scam people, trying to bypass technological safety measures deployed by the Centre to protect users. The Telecom department has urged people to report such crimes which would help the department to devise new strategies to counter cyber fraud.

The Centre has provided the Chakshu portal to report such calls on the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ platform. 

The Chakshu facility is a step towards safeguarding users from cyber fraud. It provides a streamlined process for reporting suspicious activities and helps in the early detection and prevention of potential fraud.

The telecom department is using AI tools to identify the mobile connections taken on forged documents or taken exceeding the prescribed limits for an individual. Such mobile connections along with telecom resources and mobile handsets used in fraudulent activities are being weeded out from the telecom ecosystem.

Chennai:

Jayanthi, a professor and former journalist from Tamil Nadu, has fallen victim to a sophisticated online scam, losing a significant portion of her life savings. The scammers, posing as police officers during a video call, accused her of money laundering and indulged in intimidation tactics to extort a hefty sum.

The perpetrators, who displayed Jayanthi’s Aadhaar card and claimed her bank account had been used for illicit activities, placed her under digital arrest, restricting her movement and communication. Over three days, they threatened to apprehend her unless she transferred Rs 10 lakh to what they claimed was an RBI account. Only later she realised she had been duped.

“They said an arrest warrant had been issued against me for laundering money,” Jayanthi recounted. “They claimed my Aadhaar and bank account were used for illegal purposes and told me not to tell anyone as they have invoked National Security Act.”

This incident is just one example of a growing trend of online scams targeting unsuspecting individuals across India. According to data from the Centre, a staggering Rs 10,100 crore has been siphoned off from hundreds of victims nationwide in the past two years. Chennai alone has seen losses amounting to Rs 132 crore, says the city police.

In Chennai Geetha (name changed), an insurance professional, lost Rs 4 lakh in a similar scam. She was kept under digital arrest right in her office cabin, with scamsters on a video call threatening her of cops waiting outside her office to arrest her if she did not part with her money.
“Although I was sure I was not involved in any illegal transactions, at that moment my concern was just to avoid any problem and shame. I didn’t think of anything beyond with reason,” Geetha said. A senior citizen, Sarala (name changed), a retired teacher, lost nearly Rs 1 crore in a similar fraud. Both of them shared their losses and the ordeal only after losing hefty money.

These scams, police say, are largely orchestrated by gangs operating from Cambodia, which lure individuals from India into cyber slavery. An estimated 12,000 Indians are currently trapped in these scam compounds, forced to perpetrate fraudulent activities against their own countrymen.

Recently, Cambodian authorities in India called for stricter measures against illegal recruiters in India who deceive individuals with promises of lucrative jobs abroad but instead trap them in these fraudulent schemes.

“For example, recruiters may advertise jobs in Australia but require training in Cambodia, where individuals become ensnared,” said Karthik Tillam, the Honorary Consul General of Cambodia. “I urge the Tamil Nadu authorities to be vigilant and prevent these recruiters from operating within their jurisdiction.”

Chennai Police has urged individuals to remain calm and alert in the face of such scams in the name of FedEx, BlueDart, Telecom or through matrimonial sites. They have asked the public to avoid answering calls from suspicious numbers. If confronted with suspicious calls or demands for money, it is crucial to immediately terminate the conversation and report the incident to authorities, police said. In the case of loss of cash, the police advise victims dialling 1930 immediately for assistance to potentially recover their lost funds.