Alert Against Incidents Of ‘Blackmail’ And ‘Digital Arrest’ By Cyber Criminals Impersonating State/UT Police, NCB, CBI, RBI And Other Law Enforcement Agencies

GG News Bureau 

New Delhi, 14th May. Numerous complaints about intimidation, blackmail, extortion, and “Digital Arrests” by cybercriminals posing as law enforcement agencies, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Narcotics Department, the Enforcement Directorate, and other law enforcement agencies are being filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).

These con artists usually give a potential victim a call and say that the victim has shipped or is supposed to receive a package that contains contraband items such as drugs, phony passports, illegal commodities, or any other kind of illicit goods. Occasionally, they also let the victim know if a loved one has been arrested for a crime or accident and is being held by them. To undermine the “case,” money is demanded.  Sometimes, naive victims are forced to submit to “Digital Arrest” and make themselves visible to the scammers via Skype or another video conferencing service, at least until their demands are satisfied. Fraudsters have a history of dressing up in uniforms and using studios designed to resemble government buildings and police stations.

Numerous victims have lost significant sums of money to these thieves around the nation. It has been discovered that cross-border criminal syndicates are responsible for this coordinated online economic crime.

Under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) oversees national efforts to combat cybercrime.  To combat these scams, MHA is collaborating closely with RBI, other organizations, and other Ministries and their agencies. In order to help State and UT Police Authorities discover and look into the situations, I4C also contributes ideas and offers technical support.

Together with Microsoft, I4C has blacklisted over 1,000 Skype IDs that are associated with these kinds of operations. Additionally, it makes it easier to restrict the mule accounts, mobile devices, and SIM cards that these fraudsters utilize. On its social media platform “Cyberdost,” which includes X, Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms, I4C has also released a number of notifications via infographics and videos.