ROURKELA: After Rourkela police busted a major inter-State cyber crime racket operating here using above 50 SIM cards obtained through fake documents, there is a growing concern on lack of accountability of mobile service operators who do not check documents while issuing the cards to all and sundry.
With cyber crimes rising at unprecedented pace in Sundargarh district or elsewhere in the country, Rourkela police feel effective check in distribution of unverified SIM cards can largely contain such crimes.
Rourkela SP Mukesh K Bhamoo said using mobile phones the invisible cyber criminals target victims throughout the country, irrespective of whether they are rich or poor, educated or illiterate. For local police of any state, arresting cyber criminals from another state is both physically exhausting, expensive and time consuming, the SP asserted.
“The methodology for processing and distribution of SIM cards remains highly questionable. Unless police verification of documents and persons seeking SIM cards are done, which would increase workload of police, such crimes are difficult to be contained,” Bhamoo exhorted.
Even if a strong verification process is adopted, a fragmented approach would not work as all states needs to act together for it, the SP added. “Re-allotment of idle SIM cards to new subscribers is also a problem which should be taken care of by SIM card providing companies,” alerted Bhamoo.
Meanwhile, after massive seizures from the inter-State online cyber fraud racket and arrest of eight persons of other states including the kingpin Pritam Kumar (27) of Nawada district in Bihar, Rourkela police have begun verification of data in laptops and other electronic devices.
Police sources said, so far at least 1,000 persons have been a part of the fraud. The modus operandi of the racket was to dupe online shoppers on the pretext of luring them with hefty prize money assurance from online shopping companies.
The racket was deliberately not targeting much in Odisha and focused only on 11 districts, while being active in other states like Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir.
In June, cyber fraudsters had stolen Rs 8.84 lakh from the SBI savings account of the Principal of the Rourkela Municipal College (RMC) Paresh Pradhan (58) after hacking his YONO account, while in January a poor daily wager Sania Singh of Kuanrmunda block had lost Rs 37,500 to cyber fraud.
SIM card safety
Police verification of documents, persons
All states need to act together to stop SIM card misuse
Stop re-issual of idle SIMs
SIM card providing companies must be made accountable
Recent cyber frauds
In June: Principal of a college lost Rs 8.84 lakh from SBI YONO account
In January: Daily wager lost Rs 37,500