A significant cyber fraud operation blocked more than 17,000 WhatsApp accounts.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has taken decisive action by suspending more than 17,000 WhatsApp accounts in an effort to stop digital arrest frauds. The majority of these accounts were linked to nations like Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand that are notorious for harboring cybercrime. These accounts were used by scammers in a number of online financial schemes, India Today said.
Response to grievances and inquiries
A number of victim complaints submitted online, pointing to a startling increase in digital frauds, prompted this crackdown. After reviewing the reports, the MHA's cybercrime coordination center found suspicious accounts and gave WhatsApp instructions to block them.
Fraudulent call centers based in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos were made public by this operation. The situation is made more difficult by the fact that many of these contact centers are housed in Chinese casinos in Cambodia.
Human traffickers' involvement in fraudulent operations.
Along with these disclosures, the inquiry also revealed how people traffickers are using the prospect of employment in nations like Cambodia to entice Indian nationals. Once they arrive, though, these people are frequently forced to commit cybercrimes, such as operating phony contact centers. Victims are tricked into committing internet frauds by taking advantage of their weakness in other nations.
The operation of digital arrest scams
Fraudsters pose as law enforcement officers in the "digital arrest" scam to trick gullible people. These con artists frequently pretend to be customs officers, income tax authorities, or Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) agents. In order to evade an alleged arrest, they demand significant sums of money, using intimidation techniques, and falsely accuse victims of unlawful activity.
Growing financial consequences and government alerts
According to authorities from the Home Ministry's cyber section, scammers are stealing almost Rs 6 crore per day through these fraudulent activities, which highlights the worrisome scope of the theft. The entire amount siphoned off in 2024 alone reached an incredible Rs 2,140 crore in the first ten months. By October, the cyber wing had also documented 92,334 incidents involving fraudulent digital arrests.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently sent out a public warning to all residents, asking them to report any such incidences to the cyber helpline in order to address the growing concern.
Follow cyberdeepakyadav.com on
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube
What's Your Reaction?
