The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has issued an advisory for online payment users regarding the increasing incidents and threats of online fraud and digital arrest in the country. Recently PM Modi said in an episode of Mann Ki Baat that Indians have lost 120.3 crore rupees due to digital arrest scam.
NPCI said that the reach of digital payments is now in every corner of the country, it is driving the country towards digital. This system has provided both security and convenience to the users. However, it is important to use digital systems safely and avoid scams. You can protect yourself and your loved ones by detecting any possible fraud or scam in time.
In such a situation, let us know what is digital arrest and what are the measures to detect and avoid it…
What is Digital Arrest? Digital Arrest is a new type of cyber and online scam. By pretending to be investigating officers from the police or other government departments, the scammers first trick people into believing that they have committed a financial crime or that something bad has happened or is about to happen to a member of their family. In most cases the person sitting in front is in police uniform. In such a situation, people believe that he is telling the truth. After this they keep falling into their trap.
This is how digital arrest happens, NPCI said
- Phone calls in the name of government officials: Be careful if someone claims to be from government agencies like police, CBI, income tax officials or customs agents. Be wary, especially if they claim that immediate legal action is being initiated or required. They may allege that you or a family member is involved in a serious crime such as money laundering, tax evasion or drug trafficking.
- Threatening language and haste: Such scammers ask you for a video call. In this they are in police uniform and the government logo is also printed on the uniform. For this they also create a setup like a real police station. During negotiations they often threaten arrest or immediate legal action. They want a quick response from you on their every demand.
- Demand for sensitive information and money: Digital arresters will ask for your personal information or may demand a large sum of money to clear your name of the charges against you. They may force you to transfer money to their account until the investigation is complete. They may force you to confirm your name, help with investigations or deposit money into a bank account or UPI ID in the name of a refundable security deposit.
What to do to avoid digital arrest?
- Do not pick up any suspicious calls on WhatsApp, Facebook or Instagram.
- Don't panic if you picked up the phone. Just don't share your personal and financial information.
- In case of initial doubt, disconnect the phone immediately. Avoid long conversations on the phone.
- Be sure to immediately verify calls from unknown numbers with an app like TrueCaller.
The government blocked 1.7 crore SIM cards
Recently the Indian government has banned around 1.7 crore SIM cards. All these SIM cards were issued through fake Aadhaar cards and other documents. Apart from this you can complain about it on cybercrime helpline number 1930.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
