25 November,2023 04:37 AM IST | Mumbai | Faizan Khan
Screen grabs of scammers using Indian numbers
The Mumbai Crime Branch's cyber cell uncovered a like-and-earn scam originating from Dubai, exploiting Indian numbers to lure victims. Perpetrators send messages enticing individuals into the scheme. Initially, victims earn money by liking videos and images but ultimately end up losing lakhs to the scam.
Fraudsters behind a like-and-earn scam, based in Dubai and China, changed tactics to keep tricking victims into believing they can earn Rs 4,000-Rs 5,000 daily by liking videos and images. An officer from the cyber cell said, "They used numbers from Dubai and China, but with crackdowns, people have become wary and marked these numbers as scams."
Scamsters are now using Indian numbers from Dubai and China to deceive victims. Representation pic
The scammers are now using Indian numbers from Dubai and China to deceive victims in one of the biggest cyber scams after loan apps. An officer mentioned, "Messages seem to come from Indian numbers, but the location tracked back to Dubai and China. We initially suspected VPN use, but the real IP address was in Dubai."
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According to sources, scamsters are using the PAN and Aadhar cards of Indians to get SIM cards or forge documents. They trick people into sharing OTPs and then use those numbers on WhatsApp from abroad. "Dozens were arrested in the past year in connection with this fraud," a senior Mumbai Crime Branch officer said.
"But the profits drive them to create new methods, so people need to be cautious about easy money schemes," he added. A mid-day reporter also received a similar message offering work-from-home earnings of Rs 2,500-Rs 4,000 per day, emphasising subscriptions to channels and vlogs for income.
The message, purportedly from an advertising agency, assured a daily income without any registration fee. When the reporter flagged it as fraud, the messenger attempted to disassociate themselves and some people were trying to dupe using their name.
