An aspiring civil servant in Delhi fell victim to a sophisticated scam orchestrated by a group posing as a Tinder date. The victim was lured to a cafe where he was charged an exorbitant amount for a simple meal, resulting in a loss of ₹1.2 lakh. The police investigation revealed a well-coordinated operation involving fake profiles, staged emergencies, and a carefully divided profit share.
Sri Lankan authorities have detained over 60 Indian nationals in connection with an online financial scam. The crackdown, triggered by a victim’s complaint, uncovered a scheme involving WhatsApp groups and forced deposits. Police seized numerous phones and laptops during raids in Negombo and Colombo, highlighting the operation’s scale and international connections.
Two college students, Rajveer Jagatsingh Khant and Ganesh R Vanparthi, have been charged by the Mumbai Crime Branch for sending threatening emails to Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, demanding a large sum of money. The students, arrested in November 2023, utilized virtual private networks and secure email services to conceal their identities and send multiple emails demanding crores of rupees.
India’s vast education sector, with millions of students vying for coveted colleges and courses, is increasingly becoming a target for cybercrime. Leaked question papers, data breaches, and the rise of the dark net pose significant challenges to the integrity of examinations and the safety of student information.
To combat cybercrime, India’s Department of Telecommunications and Telecom Service Providers have implemented a system to identify and block international spoofed calls displaying Indian mobile numbers. The Sanchar Saathi portal has also been launched for citizens to report suspected fraud communications.
Boomers are a desirable target for scammers due to the wealth of personal data they possess, including financial information and retirement savings. However, younger generations, such as Millennials and Gen Z, can provide valuable advice on how to avoid becoming victims of cybercrime. By sharing their knowledge of technology and common scams, they can help Boomers stay protected and secure.
Multiple schools in Delhi-NCR received bomb threat emails originating from a single IP address in Russia. The email, sent via the ‘mail.ru’ domain, sparked panic, leading to closures and student evacuations. The Delhi Police’s cyber team is investigating the incident and tracing the IP address. The letters contained threats of explosive devices planted in schools and called for violence against students. Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena assured strict punishment for the culprits. The Ministry of Home Affairs classified the threat as a hoax, advising against panic. Thorough checks are ongoing, with the Delhi Police Crime Branch investigating the situation. Despite the hoax determination, officials emphasize the need to take all threats seriously.
In the evolving landscape of ransomware attacks, hackers are exploiting developing nations as experimental playgrounds to test their malicious software before targeting enterprises in more affluent regions. Organizations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia often possess weaker cybersecurity defenses and attract less attention, making them ideal targets for these cybercriminals. Instances of ransomware attacks have been witnessed in Senegal, Chile, Colombia, and Argentina, with the same malware strains later surface in Europe and North America.
A 58-year-old retired employee of Torrent Power, Shrenik Vaishnav, fell victim to an elaborate scam where cybercriminals impersonating Mumbai police and former Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik defrauded him of Rs 41 lakh. The scammers posed as ‘Pradip Sawant of Mumbai police cybercrime cell’ and fabricated accusations of money laundering, threatening to arrest Vaishnav if he did not cooperate. They instructed him to transfer all his money into a bank account for ‘verification’ and forced him to sell his shares and deposit the proceeds into another account. The scam came to light after Vaishnav paid the hefty sum and the scammers disconnected all communication, prompting him to file a complaint with the cybercrime helpline. The cybercrime police have registered a complaint under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including extortion, breach of trust, and impersonation of a public servant.
Criminals are targeting Australians with email scams posing as the postal service, attempting to steal personal and financial information. The scams involve fake delivery notifications requesting customers to click on links to reschedule deliveries or pay fees. Australia Post emphasizes that it never asks for sensitive information via email or SMS and urges recipients to report suspicious messages. Victims are advised to contact authorities and their banks in case of fraud.
