Extended Skype Chats Are Scannable as 2,000 Reports of “Digital Arrests” Are Received by the Center | Exclusive

In India, a worrying trend of new cyber fraud is emerging. These cybercriminals use a planned and organized strategy to orchestrate “digital arrests.”

These criminals assume the personas of senior officials and law enforcement, resulting in a startling phenomenon where victims are forced to “digital arrest.” 2,000 complaints about the scam have been received in the last year alone, according to an official from the Union administration.

In some cases, victims are forced to engage in protracted Skype conversations with fictitious government officials in addition to being blackmailed. Virtual arrests like these have no legal authority. Due to the seriousness of the matter, the Center has blocked 90% of the 235 bogus Skype accounts that have been found. To neutralize the remainder, further work is being done.

These offenders have so far utilized the names of three organizations. They may pass for members of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Mumbai Police, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with skill. Beyond only verbal exchanges, these criminals also impersonate genuine police officers by presenting fake ID cards and making references to their names and ranks, lending a false sense of legitimacy to their dishonest strategies.

The victims suffer great mental anguish in addition to monetary losses, which has dire consequences. Because cybercriminals leverage the legitimacy of law enforcement and government figures, victims may find it difficult to recognize that the “arrest” procedure is a fake.

Blackmailed victims suffer terrible financial and psychological consequences as a result of being forced to spend hours in front of fictitious government representatives. According to a senior official of a central cyber security organization, “The cybercriminals pose as police officers or other high-ranking officials, display their ID cards, and take the names of real officers with real ranks so that even if someone tries to Google the information given by them, they believe that the arrest process is real.”

MODUS OPERANDI
In the most recent scam, thieves utilize automated voice calls (IVRs) to speak with victims, telling them that their PAN or Aadhaar numbers have been used fraudulently, or that their Aadhaar numbers are connected to SIM cards that have been used in criminal activity.

After the victim logs on to Skype, the accused forwards the call to fictitious government agents who pretend to question the victim and make sure she stays on the line. The victim is addressed by the official, who is mostly dressed in uniform, as an agent of the CBI, Mumbai Police, or RBI. The victim is accused by the officer of being engaged in a crime or of laundering money. The thieves pretend to be as real as possible by forging emails, ID cards, Skype IDs, and court-issued warrants. Lastly, to pay the ransom, cybercriminals coerce their victims into sending money transfers and, in some situations, into taking out an immediate loan.

CALLS FROM LONG SKYPE UNDER SCANNER
Sources claim that Microsoft has been ordered by a central government agency to put in place a proactive detection and prevention system in order to recognize phony accounts and take appropriate action. It has also been requested to keep an eye on calls from Skype IDs that last longer, particularly those that last all day.

CASES REPORTED AND FILED
A high-ranking source claims that because this is a novel kind of fraud, it has been recommended that the Mumbai Police, CBI, and RBI open cases and begin investigations. Additionally, 220 Skype accounts that were utilized by fraudsters have been disabled. It has been discovered that cross-border criminal syndicates are behind this organized internet economic crime.

The Centre has also said that the relevant department may file a lawsuit against the Skype IDs that are impersonating the Maharashtra Police, the Reserve Bank of India, and the Narcotics Department, damaging the organization’s image, and engaging in fraudulent activities.

CAMBODIAN Cybercriminals Currently Involved
Few IDs have been linked to Cambodia, according to central authorities’ preliminary examination. According to sources who spoke with News18, hackers from Cambodia are actively participating in the crime and forming relationships with other cybercriminals in the area. Currently, agencies are attempting to identify the locations where the greatest number of offenders engaged in these kinds of crimes are found.