Daily Cybercrime Brief by Future Crime Researchers [16.04.2024] : Cyber Slavery Exposed, New Investment Scams Unraveled, Global Crackdown on Cyber Unrest, and More

Kerala Police Unmask 50 Locals Involvement in Cambodia-Based Online Scams

• The cyber wing of the Kerala state police has identified approximately 50 individuals from Kerala working for Cambodia-based online financial racket operators.
• These operations, some of which are owned by Chinese nationals, employ Keralites to deceive and exploit other Indians through fraudulent investment schemes.
• The scammers typically employ young adults, ages 20-30, to gather personal information, obtain Indian SIM cards, and initiate contact with potential victims.
• The investigation intensified after the arrest of Mufliq, a 22-year-old who worked in Cambodia and was involved in the procurement of SIM cards used in the scams.
• Police investigations have led to multiple arrests, including that of a SIM card vendor, and have uncovered schemes that defrauded victims of significant amounts of money.

Impersonators Posing as Officials Dupe MICA President in Rs 1.15 Crore Scam

• Thirteen individuals were arrested in connection with a cyber fraud scheme that deceived Shailendra Raj Mehta, the president of MICA, out of Rs 1.15 crore.
• The fraudsters posed as police and customs officials, claiming they found a suspicious package under Mehta’s name, which led to them extorting the money.
• The Ahmedabad Police’s Cyber Crime Branch formed four teams to track down and arrest the culprits, with arrests occurring on March 12 and 13.
• The mastermind of the operation, along with accomplices from various Gujarat cities, used fake accounts to funnel and later convert the extorted money into cryptocurrency.
• The ongoing investigation is still uncovering the scope of the scam, with indications that there may be more victims and another layer of culprits who remain unidentified.

ALSO READ: Chartered Accountant Becomes Victim of a Rs. 3.4 Crore Stock Market Cyber Scam

Chinese Investment Scam: Cyber Criminals Exploit Stock Investment Apps to Dupe Investors of Over Rs 4.5 Crore

• Two individuals, Chandra Shekhar from Uttar Pradesh and Dilip Kumar Chai from Nepal, were arrested by the Colaba police for conducting a cyber fraud involving stock investment schemes.
• The fraud operation netted over Rs4.5 crore, found in Shekhar’s account, and 72 complaints have been lodged against them.
• The duo operated a WhatsApp group named ‘(057) momentum stock camp’ to lure investors into downloading a fraudulent app called ‘Retail Home’ where they were cheated with dummy shares.
• Chai, who had connections with a Chinese national, sold sensitive financial information of Indian accounts to him, earning substantial amounts.
• Both suspects have been remanded to police custody and are charged under the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act.

ALSO READ: Whale Phishing: Know How This Pune Real Estate Firm Lost Rs 4 Crore In Deceptive Phishing Attack

Haryana Police Recovers Rs 71 Lakh in Cyber Fraud Case, Three Arrested

• Haryana Police successfully recovered Rs 71 lakh in a cyber fraud case involving a fraudulent stock market investment app, with three suspects arrested in Jaipur.
• The victim, from Gurugram, reported the fraud to the Cyber Crime East Police Station on February 16, 2024, leading to the swift arrests and recovery of the funds on March 22, 2024.
• The police operation was led by Assistant Police Commissioner Priyanshu Diwan, who has been instrumental in the investigation and recovery efforts.
• Under the leadership of Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur, Haryana Police has been intensifying public education campaigns on the methods used by cybercriminals, utilizing social media platforms to spread awareness.
• The police force encourages the public to be vigilant against cyber threats by avoiding suspicious links, unfamiliar apps, and sharing sensitive personal financial information.

ALSO READ: FCRF Report: India Battling Cyber Threats with Online Financial Fraud Dominating at 77.41%

Four Fall Victim to Cyber Scams in Prayagraj and Pratapgarh, Lose Several Lakhs

• Cyber-fraudsters targeted four individuals in Prayagraj and Pratapgarh, deceiving them out of several lakhs through various online scams, with FIRs registered for each incident.
• In one case, Devesh Singh was manipulated into transferring Rs 14.10 lakh to fraudsters after being added to a deceptive WhatsApp group and instructed to use a specific app for share market investments.
• Lawyer Rakesh Bagga reported a loss of Rs 1.36 lakh after fraudsters accessed his wife’s online shopping account and conducted transactions without requiring an OTP.
• Om Prakash from Kareli was duped into providing his credit card details under the guise of a discounted purchase of dry fruits on Facebook, resulting in unauthorized charges of Rs 48,000.
• Parmanand Gupta was another victim of a credit card scam, where fraudsters posing as bank staff conducted Rs 45,000 worth of unauthorized online purchases using his card details.

ALSO READ: Victim Of A Cyber Attack? Now Dial 1930 & 155260 To Register Complaint And Get Your Money Back

INTERNATIONAL

UK Accuses China of Cyber Attacks on Electoral Commission, Sanctions Imposed

• UK Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has publicly attributed a significant cyber attack on the UK’s Electoral Commission to China, marking a shift in how Britain perceives and responds to cyber threats from Beijing.
• During the attack, which was disclosed last year but occurred in August 2021, hackers accessed electoral registers and email systems, obtaining information on 40 million voters and 43 MPs and peers.
• In response, the UK government has sanctioned two individuals and one company associated with the Chinese state-affiliated cyber group APT31, underscoring a zero-tolerance policy towards attacks on its democratic institutions.
• This move is part of a broader reassessment of the UK-China relationship, which has seen increasing tension due to allegations of espionage and security threats, leading to intensified scrutiny and investigations by MI5.
• The UK aims to maintain a pragmatic relationship with China, considering economic ties and shared membership in the UN Security Council, despite ongoing geopolitical and cybersecurity tensions.

ALSO READ: Step By Step Guide: How To File Cybercrime Complaint Online In India

RansomHub Begins Leaking Change Healthcare Data in Ongoing Extortion Saga

• The RansomHub extortion gang claims to have started leaking corporate and patient data stolen from Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of United Health, following a cyberattack in February.
• The cyberattack, attributed to the BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware group, disrupted major U.S. healthcare operations and involved the theft of 6 TB of data.
• Although the BlackCat operation reportedly shut down after an alleged exit scam involving a $22 million ransom from Change Healthcare, the data remained compromised.
• Notchy, the affiliate responsible for the initial attack, teamed up with RansomHub to re-extort Change Healthcare, threatening to publicly release all stolen data unless a new deal is reached.
• Screenshots of the allegedly stolen data, including sensitive patient information and corporate agreements with major insurance providers, have been publicly leaked, escalating the threat of further data misuse.

Luxury Lifestyle Funded by Fraud: Charles Parks III Faces 30 Years for Cryptojacking

• Charles O. Parks III, also known as “CP3O,” was indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice for allegedly using $3.5 million in cloud computing resources without payment to mine $970,000 worth of cryptocurrencies.
• Parks created fake corporate identities to open accounts with major cloud service providers in Seattle and Redmond, which are speculated to be Amazon and Microsoft, to gain access to advanced computing power.
• He managed to deceive the providers into granting him higher privileges and access to servers with powerful GPUs, which he used to mine Ether, Litecoin, and Monero.
• The proceeds from the crypto mining were laundered through the purchase of NFTs, conversion to various currencies, and transfers through different exchanges and banking platforms, supporting his luxurious lifestyle.
• Parks was arrested in Nebraska on April 13, 2024, faces charges including wire fraud and money laundering, and could receive up to 30 years in prison if convicted.

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