KEA data theft case: Company says its credentials are misused
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Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Junagadh student duped of 22L in cement dealership scam
Rajkot: A 19-year-old civil engineering student from Junagadh lost over Rs 22 lakh to cyber fraudsters who lured him with a fake offer of a cement company dealership. The victim, Prem Kachadiya, who also runs a real estate business with his uncle, has filed a complaint with the Junagadh Cyber Crime police station. According to the complaint, Kachadiya was searching online for a cement dealership to support his real estate ventures when he came across a toll-free number claiming to represent a reputed cement company. Upon contacting the number, he was issued a six-digit request ID and later received a call from a Hindi-speaking man who confirmed the ID and sent an application form along with requests for personal documents, including his PAN card, Aadhaar, and photographs. Shortly after, Kachadiya received a dealership confirmation letter bearing the company's logo, a signature, and a stamp of its managing director. He was then asked to make an initial payment of Rs 38,500 for processing, for which he received a GST-stamped receipt. Convinced of its authenticity, Kachadiya went on to make eight payments totaling Rs 22.05 lakh for various formalities like licensing and NOC. Despite repeated assurances, the promised delivery of 5,000 cement bags never materialized. The fraud deepened when he was asked to place an additional order for 10,000 bags to win an SUV. Growing suspicious, Kachadiya discussed the matter with his uncle, who recognized it as a scam. The two then approached the police. Investigations are underway to trace the accused and recover the defrauded amount. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Cheated out of s 71L, retd Ahmedabad banker gets locked out of accounts too
Ahmedabad: A 63-year-old retired assistant general manager (AGM) of a nationalised bank has been left dealing with a double whammy, first losing Rs 71.95 lakh to a sophisticated online trading fraud, and later, having his own savings and overdraft accounts frozen amid the probe, blocking his access to refunds. The Chandkheda resident invested his retirement corpus in what was presented as a legitimate stock trading platform after coming across a social media advertisement. In his FIR lodged with the Cyber Crime Branch on May 23, he said, "While watching YouTube on March 17, I saw an ad of a company named Blink Xpro promoting investments in shares. I clicked on it and was contacted on WhatsApp by individuals who slowly convinced me to invest. " He further added, "I started daily trading through their app, and between March 22 and May 5, I transferred over Rs 72 lakh into 24 different accounts shared with me through chat." You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad He even submitted his PAN and Aadhaar documents through the platform, believing it to be genuine. However, his suspicion grew when he attempted to withdraw Rs 9.23 lakh from the app and was told the funds were on hold due to a VIP membership review. He said, "They promised I'd get full access on May 11, but nothing happened. I even went to Mumbai to meet them, but no one showed up. That is when I realised I had been defrauded. " On May 20, he reported the case on the national cybercrime helpline and filed a formal complaint three days later. After police traced some of the money, Rs 70,000 was recovered and refunded to his savings account following a court order. But on June 19, after he transferred a portion of the recovered funds to his own overdraft account, both accounts were suddenly frozen. In a July 28 letter to the deputy commissioner of police, Cyber Crime, he stated, "My accounts were marked lien/frozen on the instructions of Dakor cyber police, Uttar Pradesh, without any fault on my part and without consulting your office." The freeze stemmed from another fraud complaint by an unrelated person whose money unknowingly ended up in his account. The former banker clarified, "I have no connection with the said complainant, directly or indirectly. But because of this, all further refunds from the 27 remaining frozen accounts, as ordered by the hon'ble court, have been stopped." Expressing anguish, he wrote, "This gives me a sense that I am being treated like an accused when in reality, I am a victim of an unimaginable fraud. I request that my accounts be unfrozen so I can recover my money and carry on basic banking activities." He also said, "This entire incident has caused me immense pain, loss and anxiety. The money I lost was from my retirement benefits. I acted out of hope for better returns, which I now deeply regret." He told TOI, "A person named Akash Rajput might be related to those fraudsters as he filed a complaint seeking inquiry into my account and ultimately my account was blocked."
Indian Express
27-07-2025
- Indian Express
Chandigarh Cyber Crime police station data 23 digital arrest FIRs in 2.5 years, 34 arrests
A total of 23 FIRs were registered under the Digital Arrest category between 2023 and till July 21, 2025, with 13 of these were reported in the first half of 2025 alone — pointing to a rising trend in the crime, reveals data from the Chandigarh Cyber Crime police station, adding the police, in response, arrested a total of 34 accused — 23 this year alone. As per recent reports, digital arrests are typically done by fraudsters impersonating officials from the CBI, ED, NCB, or even the judiciary. Fraudsters often use WhatsApp or video calls to convince victims they are under legal scrutiny, then coerce them into transferring money to 'safe government accounts' to avoid arrest or legal action. The deception is deepened by forged documents and fake courtroom settings to psychologically corner victims, usually elderly individuals living alone or retired government servants. One of the most high-profile cases in 2025 involved a retired Colonel, resident of Sector 2. In March, the couple was duped of Rs 3.41 crore after being virtually arrested through a fake video call by impersonators claiming to be 'Enforcement Directorate officials'. They were told they were under 'investigation linked to Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal'. The fraudsters created a fake narrative, complete with fabricated documents and persistent video threats, effectively isolating the couple for ten days until they transferred the money. In a similar case reported in May, an 82-year-old woman in Sector 10 lost Rs 2.5 crore. She was first contacted by someone posing as a TRAI officer and later subjected to video calls from people pretending to be 'from the CBI and the Supreme Court'. Over several days, she was 'emotionally manipulated and coerced into transferring her life savings to clear her name'. In another case, a 70-year-old retired chief architect, also from Sector 10, was targeted similarly and ended up transferring Rs 2.5 crore to unknown accounts. Police investigations revealed that 'the fraudsters had used deepfake-style video calls and counterfeit legal documents to maintain the illusion of an official investigation'. In July, a woman from Sector 34 lost Rs 77.4 lakh to a similar scam. She was threatened with arrest and shamed into cooperating with what she believed were legitimate legal instructions. SP (Cyber Crime) Geetanjali Khandelwal said, 'The psychological tactics used in these scams, like prolonged intimidation, fake court summons and staged digital hearings, are especially effective against senior citizens. The victims are often too frightened to share the ordeal with family or question the authenticity of the threats.' 'We have got a survey done of victims of Cyber Crime, which included the digital arrest victims, to ascertain how they were duped, and to learn about the accused callers' tactics,' the SP said. Khandelwal said, 'The Chandigarh Cyber Cell has been actively pursuing such cases and has made multiple arrests in 2025. Several fraud networks operating from outside the state have been busted, with arrested individuals revealing pan-India operations involving fake call centres and money mules.' Police officers, however, warned that such scams are 'spreading fast', emphasising 'the term digital arrest has no legal standing, because no law enforcement agency will ever demand money over video calls or threaten citizens into secrecy'. Police appeal to citizens, especially the elderly, to stay alert and immediately report any suspicious calls to the Cyber Crime police station, and advise family members to stay in regular contact with senior members and guide them on digital fraud awareness. The Cyber Crime police station registered a total of 331 FIRs in connection with online frauds between 2023 and July 21, 2025 — 133 in 2023, 112 in 2024, and 86 till July 21, 2025, according to official data. A detailed analysis shows online fraud, including investment and e-commerce scams, has emerged as the most common cybercrime, accounting for 99 FIRs. Police data reveals that there are 162 miscellaneous cases, which include impersonation, fake Canada calls, online loan/job frauds, romance scams, and task-based frauds, highlighting the evolving tactics of cybercriminals.
