The government has purportedly put into effect real-time alerts, to be activated by specific keywords, urging users to notify authorities about dubious messages and offering tools to report and block such accounts.
Amid increasing cases of digital arrest scams, the Government of India has been alerted by Skype about the implementation of real-time alerts on its platform. One of these warnings cautions users that Indian legal officials will never reach out to them via Skype. Moreover, Skype is actively monitoring and taking action against accounts pretending to be law enforcement entities such as the police. So, next time you log into Skype, be mindful of these precautionary alerts.
As per government directives, real-time alerts have been activated and will be activated by specific keywords. Users will also receive guidance to report any dubious messages, along with the following available actions:
- Notify about questionable messages: Report by right-clicking or long-pressing
- Manage inbound calls by restricting them to your list of saved contacts: Set call limitations within the Privacy section of your Settings.
- Block users you don’t want: Visit Profile and then select Block Contact.
According to a high-ranking government source who spoke with News18, several fraudulent police accounts posing as the Narcotics Control Bureau, CBI, Enforcement Directorate, and other law enforcement agencies have been shut down. Nevertheless, the source cautioned that this action might not suffice, considering how swiftly cyber criminals can establish fresh profiles.
Another official familiar with the matter informed News18 that a comprehensive list of fraudulent accounts targeting Indians has been compiled, exceeding 100 in number. The key offenders among these accounts have been deactivated, with legal proceedings already underway against them. Furthermore, the company has been approached to furnish information regarding the linked mobile numbers to these accounts.
Serious concerns were expressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the surge in digital arrest scams aimed at defrauding individuals in the nation.
Citizens were warned by him about the rising occurrences of such events, and he reassured them that no law enforcement entity would demand money from them.
The concept of Digital Arrest refers to the legal implications and consequences of criminal activities carried out in the online realm.
Scammers involved in digital arrest schemes utilize victims’ personal details during phone calls to establish credibility. By posing as police officers, government representatives, or officials, they enhance their facade with counterfeit uniforms and identification cards. The backdrop of their setup further reinforces the illusion of interacting with authentic law enforcement personnel.
The victim is subsequently notified by the scammer that they are implicated in an active case and must promptly appear at a law enforcement facility or courthouse. Asserting the critical nature of the situation, the scammer insists that leaving is not an option for the victim, dubbing it a form of “digital detention”.
[Rephrased Content]: The scammers anticipate the moment when the fearful victim inquires about how to make the ‘case’ disappear. Subsequently, they demand money to settle the issue, leading the victim, convinced of the authenticity of the threat, to send the money and fall victim to the scam.
