Phishing in troubled waters

KOCHI: A Perumbavoor-based businessman was desperate to raise money after the pandemic dulled his returns. Eventually, he got tired of knocking on several doors asking for investment. That is when he received a message on Facebook messenger. It read: “I am interested to invest in your business”.

Though the businessman was sceptical, the person who sent the message from outside the country convinced him saying that they collected details on him and his company through social media. The investor said he needed more details to strike a deal. The businessman eventually trusted the ‘angel’ investor.

Soon, he started receiving messages claiming that the investment amount and few attractive gifts would be sent soon. He was promised currency in Euro, dollars and pounds. The gifts were expensive iPads, iPhones and watches. To convince him further, the videos and images of gifts being packed were sent frequently.

Interestingly, the investor said the money also will be sent via courier due to technical issues in making a fund transfer online. The victim even got a call informing that the package has reached New Delhi airport. The caller informed him that the call was only intended to verify the address.

The next phase of the fraud began with an official call from the courier firm demanding fees for parcel delivery.“They cited clearance fee, Customs fee, the penalty for RBI and more. The caller even threatened the victim saying he would be caught in legal problems if he does not retrieve the foreign currency worth lakhs of rupees in time, “ said a police officer explaining the modus operandi of the cyber fraudsters.
Soon, the victim realised that he has been duped and has lost money. Though he is not alone in this ordeal, many people refused to report the fraud out of shame and fear.

Lockdown traps
The pandemic seems to have prompted fraudsters to come up with innovative ways to dupe victims. They target businessmen and entrepreneurs. Almost `1.4 crore was swindled by fraudsters in multiple cases, said Ernakulam Rural police.

The police have issued a warning against such predators who look for profiles of business owners and contact them, promising expansion or investment. The pandemic has especially made many people desperate for financial support, and this helplessness is being taken advantage of, the police claim.

“The number of people falling prey to these fraudsters is increasing daily,” said Ernakulam Rural SP K Karthick. Cyber expert Nandakishore Harikumar seconded the argument that the pandemic panic is a stimulant. “These cases come under phishing. The frauds have a great opportunity in hand, especially with many senior citizens opting for online platforms for banking and financial transactions,” he added.