HimVani
Shimla: The Reserve Bank of India has caution people that many complaints are pouring from individuals, trusts and other entities regarding fraudulent communications relating to fictitious offers, lottery winnings, remittance of cheap funds in foreign currency from abroad, employment offers, scholarship offers, etc, which are being perpetrated by certain residents and non-residents. While addressing a media conference here today, general manger of RBI, Shimla branch, SK Bal said that fictitious offers are generally made through letters, e-mails, mobile phones, SMS, etc.
Apart from the typical modalities adopted in the past, fraudsters are now resorting to issuing certificates, letters, circulars, etc, which are sent through e-mail, on letterheads that look like that of the Reserve Bank and purportedly signed by its top executives/senior officials to make them appear as genuine. He said that fraudsters also convince the victims by impersonating as senior officials of the Reserve Bank with telephone numbers and/or fictitious e-mail Ids. Many residents fall prey to such teasing offers and lose large sums of money in the process.
“We have taken many measures in this regard to create awareness among the public about fictitious offers. We have issued a number of circulars cautioning the authorized dealer banks against remittances towards schemes involving money circulation, lottery schemes, etc. and the existing prohibition on remittances for participation in such schemes”, he said.
“Commercial and Cooperative banks have been advised to display copies of the Reserve Bank release at all the branches in order to give it wide publicity. We have issued suitable releases and advertisements in the matter in major English and Hindi vernacular dailies. Further, under the “Jago Grahak Jago” programme, advertisements have been released in the major dailies and on the national television channels for reaching out to the public in a more effective manner,” he said.
The victims may register the complaints with the local police/cyber crime cells. Bank branches may also alert the local police including cyber crime cells, if and when they get some lead about transfer of funds for such fraudulent activities involving accounts maintained with them or otherwise. In case of any doubts regarding such fictitious offers received the public may refer to the Reserve Bank’s website for clarifications, he added.
