The incident seems to be a larger pattern of cyber criminals to extort money by creating bogus social media profiles of prominent figures, an official said
Representational Pic/File/iStock
Some unidentified persons made a fake Facebook account of Nagpur police commissioner Amitesh Kumar allegedly with the intention of extorting money, an official said on Monday, the PTI reported on Monday.
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An inquiry has been initiated by Deputy Commissioner of Police (EOW and Cyber) Archit Chandak and efforts were on to nab those behind this crime, he added, according to the PTI.
"The incident is part of a larger pattern of cyber criminals to extort money from victims by creating bogus social media profiles of prominent figures," he said.
Meanwhile, a multitude of cyber fraud incidents have hit the city, resulting in a significant number of daily cases filed in Mumbai. The city police have compiled a list of the top 15 prevalent frauds in Mumbai, and dedicated cyber teams are actively addressing these issues. However, the detection rate for these frauds remains below 10 per cent. The police recognise that enhanced infrastructure, the adoption of advanced technology, and the recruitment of well-trained officers are what could effectively combat these cybercrimes.
Based on official data from the Mumbai police, there have been 1,909 reported cases of cyber fraud in Mumbai from January to May of this year. Of these, only 200 have been successfully detected, resulting in the arrest of 295 individuals. This data highlights the significant gap between the number of reported cases and the detection rate, indicating the need for further improvements in the investigation and prevention of such crimes. According to the Mumbai police, the city has been plagued by several major types of cyber fraud.
- Phishing Scams: Fraudsters deceive individuals by posing as legitimate entities or organisations and tricking them into revealing sensitive information such as login credentials, financial details, or personal data. There have been 20 reported cases of phishing in Mumbai, and four have been solved with the arrest of five accused.
- Online Banking Fraud: Criminals exploit vulnerabilities in online banking systems to gain unauthorised access to victims’ accounts, leading to unauthorised transactions or theft of funds. There have been 541 reported cases in Mumbai, and only 18 have been solved with the arrest of 19 accused.
- Social Media Fraud: Fraudulent activities on social media platforms, including fake profiles, identity theft, spreading misinformation, and luring individuals into scams. There have been 84 reported cases of social media fraud this year, and 19 cases have been solved with the arrest of 19 accused.
- Investment and Ponzi Schemes: Fraudulent investment schemes promising high returns or Ponzi schemes that rely on new investors’ money to pay existing investors, ultimately collapsing and causing substantial financial losses. This year, 42 cases of investment and Ponzi schemes have been reported, and only six have been solved with the arrest of 20 accused.
(with PTI inputs)
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