Noida: The Noida police have issued an advisory warning citizens about a rise in cyber fraud involving the ‘digital arrest’ method. There have been around 10 cases of ‘digital arrests’ in the past few months, leading to the filing of FIRs and ongoing investigations.
Know what is Digital Arrest
‘Digital arrest’ is a highly sophisticated method cyber criminals use to deceive citizens. They pose as police officials or enforcement officers from departments such as Customs and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) through WhatsApp or mobile phone and claim that their package has been intercepted and that illegal items such as drugs have been found in it.
Remain online on skype else face dire consequences
Further, they ask the victims to stay over the Skype call for many hours and threaten them that if they tell anybody about this, including their family or friends, during the whole operation, they will have to face dire consequences. This way, cybercriminals hold people in custody or arrest over the digital space for up to 24 hours.
Criminals ask the victims to transfer money
Cybercriminals provide the victim with hope by promising to clear their name and issue a clearance certificate, preventing future harassment. They ask the victims to transfer money. Once the fraudsters receive the money, they vanish completely.
Noida Police issued 12 point advisory
In the 12-point advisory, the Noida police said, “Before believing the calls made by any unknown person wearing a police uniform, check the phone number and the mentioned name and post through Google search or details available on the website of the concerned department and their deployment. Before sharing any information on WhatsApp calls and video calls, check with the help desk of various institutions like nearby cyber cells or related departments like narcotics (control), Fedex courier, CBI, etc.’
‘The gang will be exposed as soon as possible’
Police inform, “Through in-depth analysis of bank account holders, registered mobile numbers and mobile numbers, it has been found that active cyber criminals from Jaipur, Bhilwara and Bikaner of Rajasthan were carrying out this act. In this regard, a team under the leadership of ACP (Cybercrime) and the inspector in charge of the cyber police station went to Jaipur and Bikaner in Rajasthan, collected some important clues from their possible locations and included them in the analysis. The gang will be exposed as soon as possible.”
‘If you are being threatened with any legal action, do not panic’
Police say, “Never search on a search engine like Google by entering their number. Helpline numbers of various departments have been uploaded on Google by cybercriminals. If you have sent no parcel or if you are being told that a parcel has been received in which your Aadhar card or mobile number is found, then do not trust the said call as it could be a call from a cybercriminal. If you are being threatened with any legal action, do not panic and do inform this immediately to the concerned/nearby police station.”
Noida Police is with you
The Noida police says, “If a bank account is opened in your name using your Aadhar / ID, you should immediately visit the nearest bank, gather information, and take necessary steps to close the account.“
“If any unknown person is calling you and saying that a non-bailable warrant (NBW) or warrant has been issued against you, then immediately go to the nearest police station and collect information regarding the above and inform the police because NBW or warrant is issued in any investigation by the competent court. The police do not serve NBW on WhatsApp. If through WhatsApp call or video call it is said that money related to hawala or money laundering has come into your account, then do not believe the says call because no government organisation gives information about money laundering or hawala money through phone,”
The Noida police also said that if a police clearance certificate is issued after checking a person’s account through WhatsApp or video call, then it is certain that cyber fraudsters are misleading the person into transferring money into their account.