Hyderabad: The Telangana State Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has issued an urgent advisory to citizens following a rise in complaints about cyber fraudsters posing as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). These criminals are using sophisticated tactics to create a fear of arrest among unsuspecting victims, leading to significant financial losses.
Modus Operandi: Victims are contacted via mobile phone by a recorded message claiming to be from TRAI, warning that their mobile number will be blocked within two hours. The caller, impersonating a TRAI official, provides the victim’s name and phone number and alleges that their SIM card, linked to their Aadhar number, is involved in anti-national activities and harassment texts. The fraudsters further claim that an FIR has been filed against the victim by the Mumbai or Hyderabad police, even providing a fake FIR number.
Victims are instructed to dial 9, after which they are connected to a video call on Skype with a fake police officer in uniform. This officer reads out the FIR details, including the victim’s address and other information, and demands a large sum of money to avoid arrest. This scam has resulted in victims being extorted for lakhs of rupees.
Advisory to Citizens: In light of this scam, which has been prevalent for over two months, TGCSB urges citizens to:
- Avoid answering calls from unknown numbers.
- Disregard any claims about their Aadhar card or mobile number being compromised or misused.
- Refuse to comply with any demands for money under the threat of arrest.
- Record and take screenshots of any fraudulent calls.
- Immediately report such incidents to the cyber crime police by dialing 1930 or visiting www.cybercrime.gov.in to lodge a complaint.
“We advise all citizens to remain vigilant and not fall prey to these fraudsters. Report any suspicious activity to the authorities immediately to help us curb this menace,” stated Mahesh M. Bhagwat IPS, Additional DGP Railways & Road Safety, and In-Charge Director of TGCSB
 has issued an urgent advisory to citizens following a rise in complaints about cyber fraudsters posing as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). These criminals are using sophisticated tactics to create a fear of arrest among unsuspecting victims, leading to significant financial losses.){kind=link}