Cybercriminals make big bucks amid Covid-19 crisis
HYDERABAD: The second wave of Covid-19 has come as a blessing for cyber fraudsters, who are taking advantage of the shortage of emergency drugs and other equipment, to dupe unsuspecting patients and relatives.Fraudsters are looking for requests for emergency drugs posted on social media platforms by patients and relatives and contacting them through WhatsApp calls, offering to provide the needed drug or equipment. However, after the money is transferred, they stop responding.
In one such case, an NRI man looking for Remdesivir for his family members in Hyderabad became a victim. He had posted his requirements on social media, after which he received a call from an unknown person. The offender then told him that he was associated with a charity and that they are helping a needy person by supplying Remdesivir at MRP rates and asked him to transfer the money.Minutes after the UPI payment of Rs 5,000 was completed, the criminal stopped responding to him.
KVM Prasad, ACP (Cybercrime), Hyderabad, stated that the cybercriminals approach the victims through WhatsApp call only. “ This is the first indication that the caller could be fraudulent. People should not transfer money without verifying the source.”
Recently, the cybercrime division of Hyderabad received two complaints of cheating under the guise of providing oxygen concentrators, and also two complaints about fraud while purchasing Tocilizumab, where the victims lost around Rs 1 lakh each. It was found that all these victims, though educated and aware of such fraudsters, are landing in the trap given the emergency need for the drugs and equipment. Police advised people to report to them any such calls so that people are prevented from falling prey to the fraudsters.