No.505/2021-2022
Aizawl, the 18th February 2022 : Mizoram Police Media Cell has issued the following advisory for prevention of Online Frauds.
Of late, a sharp increase in online scams is being witnessed. One of the most prevalent method used is by cheats impersonating as Armed Forces Officers/personnel, who furnish fake ID Cards, Armed Force Canteen cards, etc. to gain trust of their victims. These scammers would promise to sell various items -vehicles, bikes, household items, etc. online, but, would cut off contact with their victims, once they receive initial payment.
Another modus operandi utilized by these scammers is by pretending to order food items (Fish, meat, cake, fruits, etc.) from their victims for consumption by their units. They would provide QR code to scan, which they would use to dupe their victims and withdraw money from their accounts. In this regard, it is important to note that when using UPI apps like GPay, BHIM, etc., one does not need to enter their 6-Digit UPI PIN to receive money in their accounts. Please be aware that anyone who says otherwise is attempting to scam you.
Besides, many people are now using the internet for conducting their business through social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp business, etc. While there are many legitimate businesses being run through these portals, there are several fraudsters who are creating/manipulating these online stores for the sole purpose of scamming others. Before conducting business with any online stores, it is important to adhere to the below points:
1. Based on the comments/reviews of their past customers, one should attempt to identify whether the business is legitimate/genuine or not.
2. Is the name/address of the owner of the business matching with the account holder, where you are asked to deposit money?
3. Heavily discounted offers of items which seems too good to be true are usually scams.
4. Any offers of dealership/distributorship which can be applied online are usually fake.
We urge all citizens to exercise extreme caution when conducting their business online.
