Job seekers, entrepreneurs looking for PM Modi employment scheme new cyber targets

Cashing on economics crisis caused due to coronavirus, Cybercriminals are now targetting job seekers and young entrepreneurs.

Online scamsters are now eyeing startups and young entrepreneurs who are looking for government aid and finance.

The revelation was made by the Uttar Pradesh police after arresting a man who was involved in duping hundreds of people across India on the pretext of providing them loan under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). It is a credit-linked subsidy programme which provides loan for setting up a business.

The Gorakhpur police have arrested the mastermind who was identified as Danish Khan of Faizabad. He started targeting people by floating a fake finance website www.indiafinanceloan.com. On the site, he misused government logo and pictures to appear authentic. The victim, Vishesh Singh from Gorakhpur fell in his trap when he tried to get finance from PM Narendra Modi’s scheme.

“Vishesh wanted to open a start-up but he had Rs four lakh. He wanted Rs 25 lakh as a loan so he started exploring his option online when he landed on this dubious website, ” said a police officer.

He added that as soon the victim raised a query he got a call from the website who said officials from RBI will call and take documents. A day later he was contacted by a caller who said he was from RBI and took his documents on WhatsApp. He also instructed him to open a new bank account and deposit 15-20% of the loan amount as marginal money. The victim came in his trap and deposited Rs 3.95 lakh which was siphoned off by misusing his documents.

Vishesh Singh immediately contacted the police after suspecting foul play. Cops found the website was fake and tracked the man operating it and arrested Danish Khan.

During grilling, Danish accepted his crime and confessed to having duped hundreds of innocent young entrepreneurs. He told cops that in past he was done work with a finance company and was involved in cybercrime for which he went to jail. He wanted to become a big hacker and was learning new skills during the lockdown.