Fraudsters using toll free numbers in Himachal to dupe clients

Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service
Shimla, October 13 

Toll free number data is being used by fraudsters to commit cyber crime. The modus operandi is simple. They call up customers after the latter have registered a complaint with the toll free number, mostly outsourced, and procure the OTP and other details. 

The possibility of employees at call centres sharing  information cannot be ruled out, says SP Cyber Crime Sandeep Dhawal. “We have written to companies running toll free services to take adequate precaution and ensure the data on clients, employees and other persons concerned is protected”, he says. Over 1,500 complaints of cyber crime have been reported in the state this year so far, the maximum  pertaining to debit card frauds. “Investigations have revealed that fake websites of banks are being used to dupe gullible customers. The criminals use these fake websites (phishing) to seek information on password, account/credit card/debit card and other personal details,” says the SP.

Any data or document in electronic form is portable, easy to copy and more prone to theft than paper documents, say experts. “It is imperative for any organisation or corporate body to take preventive measures and initiate legal action in case a crime is committed”, says the officer.

Section 43A of the IT Act provides that whenever a corporate body possesses or deals with any sensitive personal data or information, and is negligent in maintaining a reasonable security to protect such data or information, which thereby causes wrongful loss or wrongful gain to any person, then such body corporate shall be liable to pay damages to the person(s) so affected.

Further, Section 72A provides for the punishment for disclosure of information in breach of lawful contract and any person may be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or with a fine not exceeding up to five lakh rupees, or with both in case disclosure of information is made in breach of lawful contract.