The Indian embassy in Brussels on Monday issued an advisory asking Indian citizens to report to the police there as well as the mission on the nature of demand or threat from calls received from a spoofed number of the embassy.
The modus operandi of the callers is that most of the calls originate from 0032-2-6409140. “It may be mentioned that it is the registered Embassy number but callers have spoofed this number,” reads the advisory.
“These fraudsters intimate the unsuspecting victim about some wrong or inadequate information in his/her passport or immigration records due to which a case is registered by Police in India or in Belgium. Hence, perpetrators demand that a fine or penalty needs to be paid through Western Union money transfer/purchase I-tune cards through their credit/debit cards or else deportation proceedings would be initiated,” the advisory outlined the modus operandi.
The advisory further said, “All concerned are, therefore, advised to be vigilant and to be on guard against these fraudsters and their nefarious designs to extract money from unsuspecting victims. It is reiterated that Embassy does not call up people to ask for money, etc. and hence such calls be ignored and reported promptly.”
Through the advisory, the Indian Embassy in Brussels sought to draw the attention of the Indian community in Belgium/Luxembourg about the fraudulent calls being received by the members of the Indian community, especially students and professionals from unscrupulous elements using the name of Indian Embassy and spoofed telephone numbers.
The callers generally speak English and sometimes Hindi. “It is requested that in the event of receiving such calls, the number from which call has originated, date and time of call, contact number on which call was received and nature of demand or threat may be furnished to Police as well as Embassy of India, Brussels at cons.brussels@mea.gov.in,” it said.
In some instances, the criminals have allegedly used the telephone numbers of Belgian Immigration/Foreign Office, it added.