Tag Archives: cybercrime

Mala Parvathy Not Alone, Victims of Cyber Fraud Citing CBI or Police Growing Faster

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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.

 

Meta Takes Down 8,000 Scam Ads to Stem “Celeb Bait” Scams with Australian Banks

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Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has removed around 8,000 “celeb bait” scam ads as part of a new collaboration with Australian banks. These scams often use images of famous personalities, many of which are created by artificial intelligence, to deceive people into investing in fake schemes.

Meta acted after receiving 102 reports since April from the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange, an intelligence-sharing platform led by major banks. These scams are a global issue, but Australia is putting additional pressure on Meta to address the problem, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government plans to introduce a new anti-scam law by the end of this year.

The proposed law could impose fines of up to A$50 million (around ₹280 crore) on social media, financial, and telecom companies that fail to control these scams. Public consultation for the law ends on October 4.

Scam reports in Australia have surged by nearly 20% in 2023, with total losses reaching A$2.7 billion (₹15,000 crore), according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ACCC previously sued Meta in 2022, accusing the company of not stopping fake cryptocurrency ads featuring celebrities like Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe, and Nicole Kidman. It estimated that 58% of cryptocurrency ads on Facebook could be scams. Meta is currently contesting the lawsuit, which has yet to go to trial.

In addition, Meta is facing another lawsuit from Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest. Forrest alleges that Meta allowed the spread of thousands of fake cryptocurrency ads on Facebook using his image. He claims Australians have continued to lose money to these scams since he first warned Meta in 2019.

David Agranovich, Meta’s Director of Threat Disruption, said that the initiative with Australian banks is still in its early stages but is showing promise. “A small amount of high-value information is helping us identify larger scam activities,” he said during a media briefing.

When asked about Australia’s proposed anti-scam law, Agranovich said Meta is still reviewing the draft and will share more details later. Rhonda Luo, the Head of Strategy at the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange, emphasized the importance of industry initiatives, saying, “It’s better to act early on scams rather than wait for regulations to take effect.”

FBI’s 2023 Internet Crime Report Reveals Alaskans Suffered Losses Exceeding $31 Million

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The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) unveiled its 2023 Internet Crime Report along with detailed state breakdowns, showing a concerning trend in cybercrime affecting Alaskans. With over 880,000 complaints nationwide, totaling potential losses of $12.5 billion, the report underscores the growing threat of online scams and fraud.

Alaska’s portion of the report reveals a staggering figure: residents filed more than 2,300 complaints with losses surpassing $31 million, marking a significant spike of nearly $15 million compared to the previous year. The impact spanned across all age groups, with the state’s senior population bearing the brunt of reported losses.

Among the myriad of internet crimes reported, three schemes stood out as particularly costly for Alaskans:

  1. Business Email Compromise (BEC): This sophisticated scam targets businesses and individuals involved in wire transfer payments. By compromising email accounts and other communication channels, fraudsters manipulate victims into unauthorized fund transfers, resulting in losses totaling $12.2 million.
  2. Investment Fraud: Deceptive practices lure investors with false promises of high returns and low risk. Victims, often targeted in retirement or 401K schemes, reported losses amounting to $6.6 million.
  3. Confidence/Romance Fraud: Perpetrated through social media or dating platforms, victims are duped into believing they’re in a genuine relationship, only to be swindled out of money or personal information. This scheme accounted for losses of $2.8 million.

The report serves not only as a testament to the prevalence of internet crimes but also as a resource for prevention and protection. The FBI urges victims to report suspected internet crimes to IC3 at www.ic3.gov, the primary platform for reporting cybercrimes nationwide.

IC3’s mission is twofold: to provide a reliable reporting mechanism for internet crimes and to forge effective partnerships with law enforcement and industry stakeholders to combat cyber threats. Information gathered through reports aids in both investigative efforts and public awareness campaigns.

For those seeking further information or assistance, resources such as IC3 Annual Reports and FBI’s Scams and Safety guidelines offer invaluable insights into recognizing and thwarting common cyber threats.