According to the Times of India, the triangle of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Bharatpur in Rajasthan and Mewat in Haryana is fast emerging as the new “Jamtara” – the Jharkhand city that has the dubious distinction of being the “phishing capital” of India . The region has seen a rise in cyber frauds and is referred as the new ground zero of cyber scamming [1]
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs, Mewat leads the list of seven new cybercrime hotspots in India. In 2021, around 60 percent of such cases were found to be linked to fraud followed by sexual exploitation (8.6 per cent) and extortion (5.4 per cent), according to the National Crime Records Bureau.
Mewat has emerged as the new hub for cyberfraud in India. Cybercriminals in Mewat use online platforms such as Facebook and OLX to dupe gullible people. They lure people through OLX in which they pretend to sell possessions on the online marketplace and then either physically lure victims to the pick-up locations or scam them virtually. Phishing is also a common type of cyber attack that is used to steal sensitive information such as login credentials and credit card details. It is usually carried out through fraudulent emails or text messages that appear to be from legitimate sources.
Haryana Police’s Cyber Crime Cell has blocked over 5 lakh Sim cards since January 2022, that were being used in the Mewat region to commit cyber fraud. The police have also identified 402 criminals allegedly involved in cyber fraud. Mewat is located in the Nuh district of Haryana.
Recommendation
Do not share personal and other sensitive information with untrusted parties
Share sensitive information only when necessary
Don't fall for financial scams like a known contact asking for money over social media and more of likes
Verify buyer or seller on online platforms before sharing information or transferring any money.
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