SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad police on Wednesday, August 26, warned the public to be extremely vigilant against new “hybrid cyber fraud” gangs operating within the city.
These gangs combine traditional pickpocketing with modern cybercrime techniques to drain the bank accounts of unsuspecting victims, said Commissioner of Police V.C. Sajjanar. Investigations revealed that these gangs target senior citizens and individuals with limited technical knowledge.
The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Division has arrested three individuals in connection with these crimes and seized five mobile phones from them, he said.
Modus operandi
These gangs execute their crimes in stages. They first identify elderly people and unsuspecting individuals using smartphones in public places such as bus stands, railway stations, and crowded buses.
While the victims use their phones, the perpetrators stand behind them and observe how they unlock their screens (using patterns, PINs, or passwords). Seizing the right moment, they distract the victims and steal the mobile phones.
If the phone is locked and they do not know the password, they employ “social engineering” tactics to gain access, Sajjanar said. When the victim calls their lost phone, the accused answer them, convincing the caller that they are a bus conductor or driver who found the phone, promising to return it at the next stop.
Under the pretext of verifying details, they trick the victim into revealing their screen lock password. In other instances, they claim to have found the phone on the street and allege that someone else is also claiming ownership; they then persuade the victim to provide the password to prove ownership, thereby obtaining the unlock details.
Once the phone is unlocked, the accused scour the gallery, notes, messages, and WhatsApp chats.
They harvest sensitive information such as photos of debit/credit cards, Aadhaar and PAN cards, bank passbook details, and PINs stored in the notes app.
They access UPI apps and use the OTPs to reset net banking passwords and UPI PINs. They transfer funds from the victims’ accounts to other accounts.
To evade police detection, they route the funds through online gaming platforms, digital wallets, and “mule accounts” before finally withdrawing the cash.
Organised cyber network
This is not merely ordinary pickpocketing; it is a highly organised cyber network, said Sajjanar.
Within this gang, some members identify victims in crowded places, while others carry out the actual theft of the phones. One section focuses on deciphering screen lock PINs or extracting passwords through deceptive conversations, while technical experts work on hacking banking apps to transfer funds.
Finally, a dedicated network handles the diversion and encashment of funds through gaming apps and “mule” accounts.
What to do if your phone is lost
If one’s phone is lost and someone answers it—claiming to be a bus conductor or promising to return the device—one mustn’t reveal the screen lock PIN, password, or banking OTPs over the phone.
Also, photos of ATM/debit cards, CVV details, net banking passwords, bank passbook copies, or images of Aadhaar/PAN cards must never be saved in your mobile gallery or notes app.
The first thing to do on losing the phone is contacting one’s telecom service provider to have the SIM card blocked.
Simultaneously, one must call one’s bank’s customer care to have net banking, mobile banking, and UPI services frozen.
The stolen phone must be blocked by registering its IMEI number on the official Central Government portal, www.ceir.gov.in.
Any unauthorised deductions from the bank account must be reported on the national cyber helpline number 1930 or at www.cybercrime.gov.in.
SOURCE : SIASAT
