Kozhikode: In the past three months, two and a half crore cyber fraud incidents have been reported in Kozhikode district alone.
Every day, approximately 10 to 12 cyber cases are reported to police. In July, the district registered cases involving fraudulent transactions totalling Rs 92 lakh.
Cyber fraudsters are misusing applications like RustDesk, AnyDesk and Quick Desk and using the screen sharing feature in these softwares to trick people and extort money.
For instance, a fraudster embezzled lakhs from a doctor in Kottooli, Kozhikode, who relied on an online platform to rent his house. Meanwhile, many people are also getting caught in honey trap cases.
An Azhiyur native lost Rs 40,000 to fraudsters after he was assured Rs 5 lakh for being a sperm donor in an infertility clinic. In addition to this, children are also targeted in several cyber crimes, especially using their personal photos shared on social media platforms.
Cyber police officials said that those who are victims of any kind of cyber fraud should call 1930 and register a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). As a result, there is an increased chance for authorities to freeze the fraudster’s bank account and recover the embezzled money.
Recently, the AI-based fraud has rocked the district after a Gujarat native embezzled Rs 40,000 from an elderly man in Kozhikode by posing as his friend. Though police have identified the accused, the incident opened up the debate over the threats posed by sophisticated “deepfake” technology.