Rajasthan police issues warning, says cybercriminals duping people on pretext of brand dealerships

Jaipur, November 10 (IANS) The Rajasthan Police, on Monday, issued a warning against a new form of cyberfraud being carried out under the guise of offering dealerships and franchises of reputed brands.

Acting on the directions of Director General of Police Rajiv Kumar Sharma, the Cyber Crime Branch at Police Headquarters, under the supervision of Additional Director General V.K. Singh, has alerted citizens to remain cautious of such fraudulent schemes.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Cybercrime), Vikas Sharma, said that organised cybercriminal groups are deceiving people by promising dealership or franchise opportunities in well-known companies.

These criminals approach potential victims through mobile calls, emails, or social media, posing as senior officials of the companies.

They lure people with attractive offers and claim limited availability of dealerships to create a sense of urgency.

Soon after, they demand money in the name of registration fees, security deposits, or no objection certificate charges, asking victims to deposit funds into specific bank accounts.

Once the money is transferred, the fraudsters stop responding to calls and messages, leaving victims helpless and defrauded.

Rajasthan Police have advised citizens to take several precautions to avoid falling prey to such scams.

People should always visit the official website of a company for dealership or franchise details and should not rely on advertisements on social media.

If contacted, they must verify the caller's name, position, and employee ID from the company's official sources and ensure all communications are from official email domains.

Before transferring any money, the process and documents should be verified in person at the company's office.

Payments should only be made to the company's current account and never to a personal account.

Police have also cautioned that if a deal or profit appears unusually attractive, it is most likely fraudulent.

Deputy Inspector General Vikas Sharma also advised that in case someone becomes a victim of such fraud, they should immediately inform their bank to stop the transaction and report the matter to the nearest police or cyber police station.

Complaints can also be filed on the Union government's cybercrime portal or victims can call the cyber helpline number 1930 and Rajasthan Police's cyber helpdesk numbers for assistance, he said.

--IANS

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