Fake IDs of Deceased IT Companies Used by Cyber Criminals to Steal Thousands
The Cyberabad Police recently busted what they are referring to as a “clique of cybercriminals”. These criminals were creating fake IDs of technology company individuals who had been killed in accidents between September and November.
The police are warning the public about the risks of putting your personal information out on the internet for people to find. Social media sites are the easiest places for cybercriminals to glean personal information about an individual. These sites tend to expose the information needed to create fake accounts, even those online for banking.
The Cyber Crime investigators of Cyberabad Police said that these cybercriminals used the fake IDs that they created and gained access to the tech guru’s accounts and stole money from their credit cards.
It wasn’t until a local bank made a complaint to the Cyberabad Police that they were aware of the underground clique that was in operation. They believe that the group, using four separate IDs, collected around ₹54 lakh, which equals around $75,500.00 in the United States. All four of the IDs used of deceased victims were from four separate technology companies.
The cybercriminals were able to create profiles using the existing ones under the tech employee’s name. They reactivated SIM cards which allowed access to bank accounts and the ability to tap into pre-approved loan amounts. Once this was completed, they collected on the payday electronically.
After the investigation, the Cyberabad Police confirmed that a total of five banks and another financial servicing company fell victim to these cybercriminals.
They want the families of people who have a deceased loved one to understand that it is up to the next of kin to make sure that the bank accounts are taken care of after someone dies. It is when these accounts are left unattended that it opens a window of opportunity for criminals like these to monopolize. The crimes they most often see with these types of accounts result in check fraud in the name of the deceased.
The Cyberabad Police want to remind people that they need to stay safe online, especially social media sites. These sites reveal enough information for someone to create a completely new identity of the person they are targeting.
