Fraudsters tend to strike when you least expect it

The suspects in police custody on Wednesday

South Mumbai's Cuffe Parade police busted a cyber fraud gang operating from Bihar and arrested five people in connection with the Maha Kumbh helicopter ride scam, a report said.

According to the police, it arrested the cyber fraud gang from Bihar for allegedly creating a fake website offering helicopter rides for the Maha Kumbh festival in Uttar Pradesh, deceiving victims.

A complainant searched for "Mahakumbh Helicopter Ride" online and contacted the number listed on a fraudulent website. The complainant was allegedly instructed to transfer R60,652 via QR code. Suspecting fraud as the payment went to a private number, the person tried contacting the people, but the following day, the website disappeared, and the accused became unresponsive.

This shows a very important part of what has become fairly common modus operandi. Touch upon a topical subject, make that the focus of the scam and then lure people to tickets/invest in that digitally, and then vamoose altogether.

This time it was the Mahakumbh. At other times it is tickets to celebrity concerts or global sporting events. The lure is that tickets or access is fairly difficult or elusive as tickets are very expensive or sold out.

Watch out for red flags; always call a telephone number and talk to the person floating a scheme. It is wise to ask for details, especially something like a chopper trip over the Mahakumbh. How many people in the chopper? When will it take off? Can we speak to somebody who has already been on this trip? From which helipad will it take off? Where will it land exactly? Details will help you gauge whether the answers are forthcoming or the man is hesitating. Watch out for the cons who operate on the excitement of an ongoing event and strike when the iron is hot.