"Cyber security is a shared responsibility and it boils down to this: In Cyber Security the more systems we secure, the more secure we all are" -Jeh Jhonson.
In past two years, more than 1,00,000 cyber crime incidents were registered in India. These cases mainly include Phishing, Cyber Extortion, Data breach, Identity Theft, Harassment. We all use Google and now it is a part of our lifestyle. It is too friendly and beneficial to all of us. Whenever we want to know about something or about any topic we just Google it and get the details about it. But, what we all are seeing on Google is it accurate?
Recently, a woman in Bangalore lost her entire bank balance when she dialed a fake Zomato call centre to seek a refund for her order. As she was struggling to find customer care number on Zomato app, she Googled it and dialed the number from the search results. A simple Google Search mistake could lead to fraud. According to a statistic report, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka in India had the highest number of reported cybercrimes than any other state. This articles aims to aware people about the latest type of cybercrime happening in our country from past few months. Covering all the aspects related to the cyber crime happening, this article seeks to provide preventive measures and legal remedies provided under the law.
Google Search / Google Customization Fraud
There have been several cases in the past few months where fake customer care executives elicit information like a bank account, debit/ credit card, and even the OTP from the customer on the pretext of helping them. We search customer care numbers on Google whenever we need any help or customer support. But this can prove costly as you could land into a trap of fake numbers laid by any common hacker. Whether it is the number of bank customer care, bank manager, Flipkart/Amazon customer care, or any other customer care, hackers create every type of web page to trap you.
How Do Scammers Get To Know About My Personal Data?
Scammers might steal your Gmail id from Google randomly and if your account is 4-5 years old and your mobile number is the password of your Google account it will be so much easier for the scammers to sign in to your account. If they Sign-in, then they make changes by allowing access for their web page to your account. And after that, whenever you search for any customer care service, you'll find their web page on Google because they had optimized it prior via paid promotion from Google. They stole your money via any online payment mode.
Sometimes people get wrong/defective products from Amazon or Flipkart. They search for the customer care number on Google to get in touch with the grievance officer. The scammer will pretend to be a grievance officer and ask you some basic questions. He/she will then send you an SMS link on your provided mobile number stating "Exchange/Refund for your product" once you click on that link your mobile will automatically connect with the scammer's mobile phone and now he/she can access the OTP, your gallery and other banking information of yours and loot you within a second.
How Can You Secure Your Data?
It's too important to understand the fact that your one minor mistake can cause you a heavy loss. The following points can make your data safe:
- Never use your Mobile number, your name as your password.
- Two-Factor Authentication is very important to secure your Google account.
- Never keep your confidential documents in your gallery.
- Always shop from trusted websites.
- Never share OTP/ CVV and ATM PIN with anyone.
- Download verified and registered banking apps from the play store only.
Remedies Provided By The Law:
According to the Apex Bank Of India RBI, If there is monetary loss due to your negligence, report about it within 72 hours to the bank.
- Log in to your net-banking account and block your debit/ credit card.
- Report on Cybercrime helpline number 1930 (prior 155260) and register your complaint.
- Directly visit the bank branch and file complaint.
- Directly go to police station and file the complaint.
Laws Governing Cyber Theft In India:
The term "Cyber law" is used to address legal issues that arise in cyberspace. It is the integration of many different laws to deal with and solve the problems on the web. The Indian government enacted the Information Technology Act 2000 to regulate malicious online activities. Section 43 and 66of the IT Act, 2000 punishes a person committing data theft, transmitting virus into a system, destroying data, hacking, or denying access to the network to an authorized person is imprisoned for a maximum of 3 years or a fine of 5 lakh rupees or both. Section 66C of the IT Act prescribes penalties for identity theft and states that anyone who fraudulently or dishonestly uses a person's identity information will be subject to imprisonment. up to 3 years and a fine of up to 3 lakh rupees. Fraud by impersonation using computer resources is punishable under Section 66D of the Information Technology Act. Similar provisions for these violations are provided for by the IPC under sections 419, 463, 46, and 468.
Conclusion:
As people`s dependence on technology escalates, cybercrime laws in India and around the world need to be constantly updated and improved. Only the prudent efforts of these actors, ensuring compliance with cyber laws, can deliver online security and resilience.
Are Cyber Criminals Using Your Personal Data From Google- Is Your Account Safe
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
