Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Aug 25: Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Kuldeep Jain has urged the public to stay alert from online fraudsters following a rise in online scams and the people constantly becoming victims to such frauds.

So far more than 50 cases have been filed pertaining to cyber crimes where a majority of the victims fall prey to the greed for easy money. Police commissioner Kuldeep Jain said, “In a bid to make easy money, people often click on the links that they receive as messages on WhatsApp or in normal messages which may also include some tempting and irresistible ones pertaining to job offers, gifts, offers and many more. Users end up sharing their personal details as they click on the sent links. Victims are also likely to get blackmailed with the use of photos, videos besides parting with money to fraudsters,” he said.

The city police chief said, “Mostly educated people become victims to cyber frauds and end up losing lacs of rupees. So far more than 50 cases have been filed and the public need to be alert about such messages before they click on the links.”

Kuldeep Jain also issued an advisory to the public on the rise in the number of cyber crimes while giving a clarion call to be aware and alert of what the members of the public are getting into so they can prevent getting conned.

The city police chief said job seekers are being cheated as they are promised high salaries to do just part-time online jobs. Fraudsters send bulk SMS messages from unknown international numbers via WhatsApp or Telegram apps asking the recipient to contact them if they want to earn huge amounts without any investment.

The perpetrators of such crimes often ask people to contact them by subscribing to YouTube channels and to like some videos posted by them. People are asked to send screenshots and accordingly when a prospective victim sends a few of them the ‘victim’ is believed into getting into the act as he receives a small amount of money into his bank account.

The victims see the online dashboard index, which they open as per the instructions of the fraudsters and they are believed to see that their income has doubled only to invest more into the scheme. When the victim finally tries to withdraw the amount they are told that it is not possible to withdraw the money without completing the next phase of tasks. Thus, the fraudsters end up cheating by not repaying the invested amount.

Public need to take precautions

The city police chief has called upon the public not to respond to any messages with regard to part-time job offers that are sent through WhatsApp, Facebook or Instagram by strangers and from unknown national and international telephone numbers and also has called out the public to report and block such numbers immediately.

“Do not click on any link that is sent through social media, e-mail or SMS promising huge income from part-time jobs. Fraudsters are intelligent in using various social media. Do not fall into the trap laid by them,” Kuldeep Jain said.