TN Police Cyber Crime Wing takes down fake website posing as National Cybercrime Reporting Portal

CHENNAI: The Cyber Patrolling Team of Cyber Crime Wing, Tamil Nadu has identified a website posing as the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP). The content of the website shows “YOUR COMPUTER HAS BEEN BLOCKED” and it has a payment details column which can capture sensitive financial information such as “Card details, Expiry Date and CVV”, an official release by the wing said on Wednesday.

The reported website (https://infaulwnmx.cyou/) identified by the team has an inbuilt setting to make itself go into fullscreen mode with a voiceover at the back saying, “Your computer has been blocked because you have seen some pornographic contents”.

They cheat the public by displaying a fine of INR 30,290 with IPC Sections. By this way, they make them pay using credit cards and capture those details which are later used to swindle the money, the release said.

Based on the report, swift action was taken and a notice as per the IT rules 2021,was sent to the domain registrar based in Hong Kong, China to block the fraudulent website and the illegal website was taken down immediately.

Cyber patrolling is the use of the internet by law enforcement to detect and prevent cybercrime. It involves searching for harmful and illegal information on the internet. Cyber patrolling can help prevent cybercrimes in their early stages and ensure a safer cyberspace. To take proactive action to curb the menace of Cybercrimes, the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing has formed a Cyber Patrolling team to monitor the fraudulent activities in cyberspace including Social Media Platforms and Messaging Platforms, the release said.

This case highlights the importance of verifying the legitimacy of the URLs, especially when financial transactions are involved. This type of scam exploits trust and can result in significant financial losses for victims, the release said.

What Citizens should do to avoid being scammed like this:

• Check the Website URL: Scammers often create spoofed website that look almost identical to legitimate ones but may have small differences.
• Verify HTTPS: Legitimate websites use HTTPS (hypertext transfer protocol secure). HTTPS always signifies that user data is secure, ownership of the website is verified and it prevents attackers from creating a fake version of the site.
• Watch for spelling mistakes: Fake websites often contain typos or incorrect spellings. Carefully look into the domain name, as government websites always end with gov.in
• Be cautious of pop-ups: While accessing any of the websites, carefully look into the pop-ups and allow only if necessary.
• Do not click on Ads: The advertisements displayed on the websites may be from illegitimate sources. Do not click on such ads.
• Think before you enter: Always think multiple times, before entering sensitive financial information such as card number, CVV, etc.

Source: The New Indian Express