Cyber thieves in MP use e-wallets to steal lakhs in 15 minutes
Cyber thievery is catching up fast in Madhya Pradesh wherein thugs extract victim’s ATM card details, transfer the cash online to their e-wallets and then to their bank accounts within 15 minutes, according to Madhya Pradesh cyber police chief Vijai Khatri.
Cyber thievery is catching up fast in Madhya Pradesh wherein thugs extract victim’s ATM card details, transfer the cash online to their e-wallets and then to their bank accounts within 15 minutes, said Madhya Pradesh cyber police chief Vijai Khatri.
The Madhya Pradesh police have received over 3000 complaints during the last two years and have arrested three accused who were wanted in many cases, he said.
Even educated persons falling prey to the imposters
But what’s strange is that even high-profile and educated persons are falling prey to these imposters despite repeat warnings on TV and radio.
Khatri said in a majority of cases the criminals used e-wallets, like M-Paisa, Digi-purse, Yes-touch, as a safer medium to transfer money into their bank accounts as from there the cash is just the ATM card away, he said, adding, “the whole process takes merely 10-15 minutes and once the amount is withdrawn, it is impossible for the cyber police to recover.”
He said at least six such cases were being reported across the state every day. Investigations have traced the phone callers to Jharkhand districts, like Giridih, Deoghar, Banka, Dumka and Hazaribagh and a majority of them have been the students who had gone to Delhi for UPSC examinations, Khatri said.
On May 24, a retired official of the agriculture department, Bhagwandas Chandwani, was duped of Rs 56,000.
He got a call from a person who sought details of his ATM card by identifying himself as a bank official trying to help him from hackers.
In another incident, an assistant labour commissioner GD Dwivedi was duped of Rs 1.20 lakh through a similar modus operendi. In this case, the accused bought online shopping site’s gift vouchers worth Rs 95,000 and transferred about Rs 5,000 to an e-wallet account. The criminals also use the details for online shopping.
They mention a Delhi address for delivery. Later, they visit Delhi once in a month to collect the booty, Khatri said, adding, “We have caught some accused in Delhi only to find them as agents of the main accused.”
Another cyber cell official said in many cases the online websites and e-wallet firms help the police. But, in some cases, the banks hold back the information citing consumer secrecy reasons.
“We have many times asked them (e-wallet firms and online banks) to establish a hotline system so that we can contact them in quick time when such cases come to us, (but to no avail),” said cyber cell constable Harendra Singh.
Just an ATM card away
In a majority of cases the criminals used e-wallets, like M-Paisa, Digi-purse, Yes-touch, as a safer medium to transfer money into their bank accounts as from there the cash is just the ATM card away
The whole process takes merely 10-15 minutes and once the amount is withdrawn, it is impossible for the cyber police to recover
The Madhya Pradesh police have received over 3000 complaints during the last two years and have arrested three accused who were wanted in many cases
At least six such cases are reported across the state every day
Investigations have traced the accused to Jharkhand districts, like Giridih, Deoghar, Banka, Dumka and Hazaribagh and a majority of them have been the students who had gone to Delhi for UPSC examinations.