COIMBATORE: A total of 52 cheating cases were reported in Coimbatore city in the last six months, where suspects made phone calls to targets claiming to be officers from central investigation agencies and looted lakhs of rupees.
Commissioner of Police V Balakrishnan said a majority of the calls were made from outside Tamil Nadu, and they are taking measures to bring the suspects to book. Further, he advised people not to respond to unknown callers.
Recently, a businessman in the city lost more than Rs 75 lakh to an online scammer. After detailed investigation, police claim to have located the place from where the scammers are operating. Commissioner Balakrishnan, confirmed the plan of sending a team to northern states, and advised people to be judicious while responding to unknown callers pretending they were from law enforcement agencies like CBI, NCB and other wings for the investigation on suspected courier parcels.
According to police, fraudsters impersonate employees of the parcel services and law enforcement officials. The scammers prey on people’s anxieties and fears, employ Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems or virtual numbers that simulate automated calls. The scam starts with a victim receiving a call from a number claiming to be from the ‘customer service’ of a popular international courier firm.
The scammers inform the victims that a package, allegedly linked to their Aadhaar number, has been intercepted and illegal items were detected. Even when the victim denies having sent any package or is waiting to receive one, the scammers assert that the package had been dispatched from Mumbai, instilling doubt and fear.
Piling on the pressure, the victim is informed that their call will be transferred to the cyber crime police.
Following the initial call, victims receive a Skype call from an individual dressed as a police officer investigating the case, sources said.
The officer then requests sensitive information, such as the victim’s Aadhaar and PAN card details. They then started showing FIRs and warrant for keeping them under house arrest. These all would be conveyed through online communication. This claim amplifies the sense of urgency and landing in legal trouble. To avoid legal consequences, the fraudster instructs the victim to transfer money. Once the details are shared, the victims lose money.
Balakrishnan said the only way to defeat such people is raise awareness about the modus operandi. If anyone receives such calls, they should verify with the official website of the courier services and alert local police to cross-check their claims, he added.