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Pune cyber police crackdown on as many as 2,000 bank accounts in Rajasthan to curb fraud
There have been cases of fraudsters posing as officials of armed forces and duping people by offering to sell their cars
The Pune police cyber crime cell has cracked down on as many as 2,000 bank accounts in Rajasthan to fight the menace of frauds committed through a private online buying and selling platform, according to Sambhaji Kadam, deputy commissioner of police, cyber crime cell and economic offences wing, Pune.
The online platform allows anyone to buy and sell their belongings without turning it into a business. There have been cases of fraudsters posing as officials of armed forces and duping people by offering to sell their cars.
The number of private online buying and selling platform complaints at the beginning of the year was not more than 40. However, the number kept increasing consistently until April, and it reached 128 in May. By July, it had become a sizable problem for the cyber crime cell with 174 complaints. That is when the police decided to block the bank accounts used to receive money and the IDs which were involved in it.
“Their targets are not just people in Pune but across the country,” said DCP Kadam.
A team of officials is dedicated to the task of identifying and blocking IDs on the platform involved in fraud committed over the last few months. The solution to the problem, however, is not permanent.
“We have to comb through the accounts and find the ones involved in fraud. This is not our job, but now we have to dedicate people for the task,” said assistant police inspector Sagar Panmand, cyber crime police station.
In the three months of August, September and October, the police blocked 1,961 IDs and 2,116 bank accounts related to these IDs. On a particular e-wallet as well, the police have blocked 1,308 phone numbers and 2,245 IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) numbers.
“This year, we have close to 1,700 complaints of money transfer, including cases of shared OTP (one-time password). The next in line is of a private online buying and selling platform where the number of complaints has reached at least 1,200,” said DCP Kadam.
The local police in Rajasthan in these areas do not support the investigations when their counterparts from other regions visit their localities. Some of the fraudsters are active in Nuh district of Haryana, according to the police.
Beware of online scammers
Fraud
The platform allows anyone to buy and sell their belongings without turning it into a business. There have been cases of fraudsters posing as officials of armed forces and duping people by offering to sell their cars.
Action by cyber crime police
(IDs of an online buying and selling platform)
August 2019
IDs blocked: 678
Bank accounts blocked: 1,271
September 2019
IDs blocked: 1,077
Bank accounts blocked: 715
October 2019
IDs blocked: 206
Bank accounts blocked: 130
Complaints received in 2019
January: 36
February: 47
March: 21
April: 21
May: 128
June: 150
July: 174
August: 123
September: 125
October: 119
