IIT Indore Researchers Lose ₹3.12 Lakh To Cyber Frauds

Two researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore have been duped of a total of ₹3.12 lakh by cyber frauds.

The first incident occurred on August 10, when 33-year-old researcher Sangeeta, from Odisha, received a call from someone posing as an airport customs official. The caller claimed that she had an international parcel and asked her to pay ₹35,999 for customs charges using PhonePe. Sangeeta, who often receives packages from abroad, trusted the caller and made the payment.

The fraudster then asked for more money as an endorsement fee for expensive items and later for an exchange charge, pressuring her to transfer more funds from her own account, as well as from her brother and a friend. When the caller asked for another ₹3.5 lakh and threatened extra fees to return the package, Sangeeta refused and realised she had been scammed out of ₹2,82,999.

She quickly reported the incident to the 1930 national cyber helpline. The Simrol police have registered a case under sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the BNS against unidentified suspects and have launched an investigation to trace the digital trails.

The second case took place on August 19, when researcher Buddhadev Ghosh, from Howrah, West Bengal, received a fake email from officialgroupleader102@gmail.com. The sender pretended to be his project supervisor and urgently asked him to buy Amazon and Steam gift wallet codes.

Thinking the email was real, Ghosh bought digital codes worth ₹15,000 and sent them to the sender. He soon got another email asking for more codes, so he sent another ₹15,000 worth. After checking the email address more carefully, Ghosh realised it was fake and that he had lost a total of ₹30,000 to the scammer.

The Simrol police have registered a separate case under sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the BNS against unidentified suspects in the second incident and have launched an investigation.

The incidents highlight the need for individuals to be cautious when receiving calls or emails from unknown sources, especially those asking for financial transactions. It is essential to verify the authenticity of such requests before making any payments.

The IIT Indore researchers' cases are a reminder that cyber frauds can happen to anyone, and it is crucial to be vigilant and report such incidents to the authorities immediately.

The national cyber helpline, 1930, is a valuable resource for individuals who have fallen prey to cyber scams, and it is essential to report such incidents to the helpline and the local police to prevent further frauds.

In conclusion, the incidents of cyber frauds against IIT Indore researchers are a wake-up call for individuals to be cautious and vigilant when receiving calls or emails from unknown sources, and to report such incidents to the authorities immediately.