On the prowl, fraudsters use digital platforms as hunting ground

LUCKNOW: While people are facing financial challenges due to job losses and dip in earnings in wake of the pandemic, cyber thugs are on the prowl with new ways to dupe people. Cases of honey trapping, online instant loan and job frauds have gone up over the past few months, according to police.

“These gangs usually have a couple of women members who lure men by sending luring messages, either through phone or social media platforms. Once a victim starts conversing with them, they either take his bank details fraudulently or call him at secluded places for robbery. In some cases, these women take objectionable pictures with the victim and then use them to extort money from them,” said Raghvendra Kumar, assistant commissioner of police.

The Hazratganj police had in April nabbed a gang of five, including two women, who extorted lakhs from several people using the modus operandi. “People should stay away from online communication with unknown and suspicious individuals,” added the officer.

Luring people with a promise of instant interest-free loans over phone has also become an easy way to dupe people. These gangs use people’s bank details to call them for loans while posing as bank employees. “These gangs take your bank and card details in the name of paperwork and use it for fraudulent transactions or provide you loans at exorbitant rate of interest without providing details. They even threaten legal case to recover money from people,” said Jai Prakash Srivastav, a senior advocate, who takes up cases of people duped on such pretexts. “I have come across over 50 such cases in Lucknow itself where people have been duped by these gangs in the last few months,” he added. On Monday, the cyber cell unit of police arrested three men for allegedly duping people through a fake job portal.

“Fraudsters either set up a fake online job portal, give advertisement or contact people promising them well paying jobs. Their either ask the candidate to deposit money ranging from Rs 2k to 6k in the name of document processing charge or ask them to submit detailed information including bank details,” said Vivek Ranjan Rai, assistant commissioner of police, cyber crime.

Man, father get eight-year jail for dowry death

MUZAFFARNAGAR A fasttrack court here has awarded eight-year-jail terms to the husband of a woman and her father-inlaw for killing her over dowry in 2018.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 each on

Asif and his father Majar Meen after holding them guilty last evening. As many as 15 witnesses were produced from the prosecution side, nine of whom turned hostile.

The court convicted the accused on the basis of the statements given by the rest six.

According to the prosecution, Asif’s wife Mehrana was burnt to death in Purkazi town of the district on August 1, 2018, over dowry.

Her brother had lodged a complaint against her husband and her father-inlaw alleging she was killed over dowry. She was married with Asif four years ago.

Excise inspector suspended

BALLIA: The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended an excise inspector of Ballia in connection with an illicit liquor factory operating in the district, officials said on Wednesday.

Excise commissioner Senthil Pandian C has suspended excise inspector Nand Lal Chaurasia of Ballia area on Tuesday. He has been attached to the Excise Commissioner’s Office, Allahabad during the suspension period, a district official spokesperson said.

This action has been taken against the excise inspector after an illicit liquor factory was busted in a government liquor shop in Amritpali locality of Ballia city Kotwali and a house in Sahaspali area.

Woman commits suicide in UP

BALLIA A 36-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself in Murar Patti village here, police said on Wednesday.

Sima Prajapati hanged herself in her room on Tuesday night in Dokati area, station house officer (SHO), Dokati Manoj Singh said. The woman was suffering from depression since the past two years, he said.

She used to live with her daughter and mother-inlaw and her husband and son used to work outside in some other district, the SHO said.