The cases of cyber crime in Chandigarh and its surrounding areas have increased manifold in the last few months.
The cyber cell of Chandigarh Police has so far received more than 500 complaints this year as compared to 170 in 2012. It received 170 complaints of cyber crime between January 1 and December 31, 2012 but could register only 30 cases, including 6 pertaining to threatening or unwanted calls, 5 of fake e-mail/ hacking of E-mail, 4 of Facebook (Hacking Profile/ Comments), 3 of job fraud, 3 of ATM/ credit card fraud, 2 related to online transaction, 2 of cheating, etc. This year so far, 539 complaints were received between January 1 and July 13 but police could register only 16 cases, including 4 related to threatening/ unwanted calls/ SMS/ Call spoofing, etc., 4 of hacking of e-mail, 2 related to lewd SMS, 3 of Facebook (hacking profile), 4 of ATM/ credit card fraud, etc.
Most of the complaints are related to threatening and unwanted calls, SMS, call spoofing, etc. As these cyber crimes are committed with help of superior IT knowledge, local police find themselves helpless in tackling these crimes in time. In threatening, unwanted calls, SMS, call spoofing, criminals display fake number on recipient's caller ID instead of the original one or change their called ID when they are calling the person whom they know with the help of several international websites through ISD calling.
Sahil Baghla, ethical hacking expert and CEO of EH1-Infotech told The Pioneer that there were a number of international websites, which provided such services free of cost.
"Earlier, such services were introduced for fun sake, but later on people started these to tease other people or blackmail or implement terror activities by concealing their actual identities," he said. There are several websites, which provide such software which is prone to be misused. These website companies have also extended this service to mobile phones by introducing several applications including 'app.phreak', an Android application popular in India for call spoofing.
"It is quite simple to use. A person has to only download it from Google play store at his phone page, then he can change not only his caller ID, but also his or her voice, can fake his call or can call his friend on his number with display of his own number. Besides that person can use any number he or she wishes as the caller ID," added Baghla.
This app doesn't use users' standard GSM for phone calls, instead, it routes them anonymously through the internet to the desired cell or landline. Police sources said there were several instances in which politicians, visa agents, police, property dealers and innocent girls have been threatened anonymously using the service. Baghla said this was a serious matter and government should ban these websites which provide such services to curb cyber crime in the country. He said these crimes are based on hi-tech knowledge and police often finds itself inadequate in dealing with the criminals.