TN Cyber crime wing police tracking down phishers who dupe electricity consumers

Chennai, Feb 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Tamil Nadu Cyber Wing police are in the process of c

tracking down phishers who dupe gullible consumers by sending them false messages power cut if they don't pay money immediately on receiving the messages.

While the number of people getting duped under such false messages has come down due to high-end awareness campaigns conducted across the state, police still receives four to six calls a week regarding the same.

The Tamil Nadu police had arrested two people from Haryana for duping people to the tune of Rs 3.3 lakhs but on interrogation, they admitted that they were not the bosses but working on orders received.

Cybercrime wing is now tracking down the masterminds in the operation of duping power consumers and will be traveling to some North Indian states to arrest the big players.

Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Company (Tangedco) has kept awareness boards in all its offices in full public display not to fall prey to such messages calling for people to pay the money immediately on receiving the message or the power supply would be cut. The message will have a phone number and those who call that number will be asked to pay 1 rupee to rectify the problem after downloading some application. If the consumer pays the amount, phishers will swindle the entire money in that account of the consumer.

Tangedco in their awareness boards has clearly mentioned that the department would not send such messages and people to be wary of such cheating in the name of paying bills Tangedco.

While the state power utility has conducted several awareness programmes against this and Cyber wing police also creating awareness through social media platforms, some consumers still fall prey to such cyber attacks and the state cyber wing is planning to curb this menace once and for all.

A senior officer with the Tamil Nadu Police Headquarters while speaking to IANS said, "Once we arrest the kingpin of this gang, the phishing process will stop in Tamil Nadu for the time being. But new gangs will surface and it is for the people to be aware of such cheating and not fall prey to these gangs. However, complaints on phishing have come down largely but still, there is a group of people who are not aware of money being lost in such a manner."

Source: IANS