To say that cybercrime and cyber criminals have had a whale of a time during the pandemic would be a gross understatement. But the fact they have gone bigger, braver and rather more blatant in their practices is a valid cause of sleepless nights for many.
In one of the latest episode pertaining cybercrooks, right from the name of PM Modi to the images of an actual museum in Bangalore, were used to buy trust of the gullible victims before fleecing them of money.
Rezwan Razack Museum of Paper Money, a private museum located inside the Prestige Falcon Towers in Ashoknagar, in Bangalore has filed a complaint with the cybercrime police after they came to know of a cyber imposter who stole the museum's identity and uploaded videos on Youtube claiming that the museum was selling old currency notes in exchange for money.
How victims are duped
Imtiyaz Ahmed filed a complaint with the Central CEN Police station for identity theft apart from other offences.The cyber criminals uploaded a video on their Youtube channel which is named Online Dost.
Online Dost also dupes people by giving fake impression of authenticity and claiming to give information of "government schemes, like Modi Yojna." The accused stole the videos of the museum, probably during their official events and programmes which are available online.
In as many three of the videos uploaded on the channel the accused has used the museum's logo, pictures and videos to make people fall for the scam. The gullible victims have been duped of anywhere ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakhs. While there are at least half a dozen videos under the same channel that promise the customers a fortune in exchange for their old currency notes.
Executive director Nayeem Noor said he became aware of the fraudulent activity after someone brought the videos to his notice and asked if an exhibition by the museum was being held in New Delhi. While no private case has been reported from Bangalore yet but the police fear most of the victims to be from the northern states.
