MBA graduate arrested in Delhi for running fraud ticket website, duped 90

The accused had used search engine optimisation was to get the fraudulent website pushed up in Google search.

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police on Saturday arrested a scammer for running a website to dupe people. The accused, identified as Aviral Rawal, is an MBA-graduate and so far, defrauded at least 90 people. A resident of the Dwarka area in the national capital, Rawal was running a fake website that claimed to book tickets for travel - air and railways - online.

Criminals are now using new and innovative ways to scam innocent users into opening a malicious email or sharing bank details on fake websites.  ((iStockphoto))

“The accused had duped more than 90 people. Search engine optimisation was deployed by him to get the fraudulent website pushed up in google search. The arrested person deployed his management skills to dupe rather than work gainfully,” Delhi’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (IFSO) KPS Malhotra told news agency ANI.

The reporting of cyber crimes such as phishing attacks and malware have increased exponentially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Criminals are now using new and innovative ways to scam innocent users into opening a malicious email or sharing bank details on fake websites. According to an ANI report quoting official figures, there were 3,377 cases of cyber crime in 2012. The number crossed the 50,000-mark in the last two years.

Amid the spurt in cybercrime, the authorities have continued to urge users to remain cautious before submitting any personal information or carrying out transactions online. One must avoid the use of public Wi-Fi while dealing with sensitive data, it says. Users should only use official websites to book tickets or send money and this can be ensured by checking the URL of the website one is browsing. In case the user realises that bank details have been shared with a suspicious website, the bank and cyber crime police must be contacted immediately.

(With agency inputs)