Cyber fraud news: The Maharashtra cyber department on Sunday issued a warning, asking people not to accept friend requests from unknown persons, as well as avoid video calls from the same. The warning came amid cases of online fraud escalating in the state. The department also asked people to not give in to calls from people posing as police officers and making threats.
The state cyber department has received several such complaints and also of people being duped under the pretext of electricity bills, through loan apps and online marketplaces, an official from the department said.
There have been cases of women seen in the objectionable condition in video calls and then fraudsters posing as officers of Delhi cyber police to extort money from people, he said.
People should not accept video calls from unknown numbers. If they receive the call again, they should block that number or contact local police and inform them about it, the official said. Also, people should not accept friend requests from unknown persons. In most of such cases, fraudsters use pictures of women, gain confidence of people and then try to extort money from them by threatening to file cases, he said.
The state cyber department has received around 400 complaints pertaining to callers threatening people by saying their electricity supply will be disconnected due to non-payment of dues, he said.
Before doing any transaction with such callers, people should contact the power company's customer care cell, check their power meter or ask the company if it had hired someone to call on its behalf.
The official also said there have been cases recently of people committing suicide due to harassment from agents of loan apps.
"We request people not to take loan of small amounts like Rs 2,000 or Rs 10,000 through online apps as many of them indulge in extortion.
People should go to banks to take loans," he said.
The cyber department has also received around 200 complaints of cheating, with fraudsters posing as representatives of online marketplaces offering to buy and sell various products.
(With PTI Inputs)
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