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Renowned Malayalam actress Mala Parvathy became the latest victim of an increasingly sophisticated cybercrime scam that has targeted several individuals. The scam involves fraudsters posing as police officers, accusing unsuspecting people of criminal activities in an attempt to extort money, from ordinary housewives to film stars to senior citizens and youngsters.
The recorded call says the recipient that her Aadhaar card or her phone number or PAN Card had been used to send a package containing passports, ATM cards, and a quantity of the drug MDMA to a foreign country. Once you respond, they send you a CBI notice and when called, they pass on the victim to another official.
The fraud has become so contagious that many innocent people are falling quick victims in disarray. “The caller was so convincing that I had no reason to doubt him. He said the situation was serious and could lead to severe legal consequences unless I took action immediately. He even sent me an identity card and connected me to another ‘official,’” actress Parvathy said.
The fraudster urged her to come to Mumbai for further investigation, but when she expressed her inability to travel, they escalated the pressure. “I was in shock when they sent me what looked like a CBI notice.”
Parvathy was lucky enough to immediately contact the Kerala Police. “The officer I spoke to confirmed that the call was likely made from a foreign country, making it difficult to trace,” she said. But how many victims are there who can turn to police immediately?
Steps To Do Against Fraudsters:
Call toll-free number (1930) or visit the website www.cybercrime.gov.in. To be precise, never respond to such calls but alert the cyberpolice in your state or call the number 1930 to make a complaint.
While the Kerala Police are conducting an extensive awareness campaign on social media to educate the public about such scams, “there is a need for a comprehensive financial ecosystem in place, which requires collaboration between the Centre and the Reserve Bank of India,” said Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
