The social media user base has increased manifold in past few years as almost all strata of the society using websites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram for business, entertainment, gossip or to pursue their interests and keep abreast of the developments. Several modus operandi are used to defraud the users. Some of them include-

• Creating fake account on social media
• Impersonate someone, upload unauthorized photograph or video of a person
• Hack another person’s profile
• Use of profanity on personal chat or on community pages/ fora
• Nasty language or pornography
• Cyber bullying
• Fake news or spreading rumours
• Hurt someone’s feelings in regard to religion, race, language or region

One of the methodologies constantly on rise, in these frauds a potential victim is approached by phone or SMS and is cautioned/ threatened by a person impersonating a bank official about closure of bank account or increased bank fees if they don’t ‘verify’ their account with relevant details. Sometimes the victims are also lured with promise of good discount or benefit of special offers to get the information such as card number, card verification value (CVV), expiry date and one-time password sent by the bank for verification.

Once the accused get relevant details, they are used to transfer money into another account or for shopping online.

In many cases, the victims don’t get any phone call and still their debit or credit card is misused online. In such a scenario, it is possible that the accused might have gathered the details through online database or use of skimmer machines. These machines look like swipe machines but can read and copy magnetic tape used in a card. With this detail, the accused can also make a clone card.

Thousands of job aspirants upload their details including qualification, communication address and phone number online on various portals and websites. After getting hold of information, the accused make a tailor-made pitch by telephone or email that congratulates the person on matching their criteria and taking the process further.

On pretext of processing fee, caution money or other charges, the victim is encouraged to transfer money to a specific bank account which gets closed after the fraud is over.

Multiple portals and websites have thousands of profiles of youth searching for life partners. A fraudster registers on these websites.

The fraudsters then start contacting persons, projecting themselves as perfect match. Once someone responds, they further the conversation online and then seek help financially. Sometimes they even get married and then decamp with valuables.

Accessing online database, the fraudsters identify potential victims and send emails/ SMS or make calls to them to offer loans at a very competitive interest rate and without registration, tax or GST. The victims get duped when the fraudsters ask for processing fees for the transactions. Once the money is transferred, the phone number and bank account get discontinued.

In this method, the accused retrieve information on customers of various insurance firms and contact them on pretext of getting them refund for insurance or threatening them with discontinuation of the accounts for not accessing it regularly.

Sometimes, the fraudsters even use name of regulatory authorities to scare the insurance policy holder and coax them to pay the amount immediately. Money is also demanded on pretexts such as insurance premium, security deposit, penalty, etc.

In this modus operandi, fraudsters create fake email id or social media profile and approach manufacturers of chemical or seeds. They are almost always based abroad and identify themselves as doctors or subject experts in need of a specific chemical or seed.

Once a person agrees to supply the seeds or chemical, he is asked to submit a deposit or make forward payment for large shipment orders. The callers/ email claim that once the samples are found satisfactory, bigger order would be placed – which never comes through.

Experts believe that India-based Nigerian gangs are active in this fraud where they send across hundreds of emails or read script to lure citizens on phone.

Fraudsters put advertisements for electronic goods, vehicles, clothing, etc. on social media or portals for sale. Once someone contacts them for the same, they are asked to make advance payment for the goods. Once the fraudsters receive money, they don’t deliver the goods at all or deliver wrong/ sub-standard goods. Some websites store credit/ debit card information keyed-in by the customers and misuse it online.

In a variant identified as OLX fraud, the fraudster keeps goods at a very cheap price on the web portal. Once people start spending money on the same, it gets removed from the listing and the fraudsters pocket the money. The goods are not sent, or the ones delivered are found to be defective. The fraudsters also approach officials of payment gateway to get the amount deposited on such sites fraudulently.

The fraudsters lure victims by promising huge returns after they allow installation of a mobile tower on their piece of land. For the same, they ask for caution money or deposit, claiming that many want to install it and thus they would have to choose the right candidate. Once the person agrees to pay, the fake companies seek money in form of registration fee, advance deposit or payment for tower installation. Once the money is received, the calls/ email gets discontinued and the ‘tower company officials’ cannot be traced.

A person can be lured with email/ SMS/ call informing him/her that their name or number was selected in a lucky draw and they can get a huge prize by verifying their details. But for verification, the company would ask for financial details or ask for a payment towards processing fees. Once the person makes the first payment, he/she would be asked for another payment and the cycle goes on till the victim realizes that it’s a trap. It’s considered to be one of the signature Nigerian frauds.