A Facebook page with a picture of Nepal Rastra Bank has announced cash grants for 200 people. Through this programme, the bank was said to give an estimated $US 1,000 to 100 people.
Bank officials were surprised when they started receiving phone calls at the central bank seeking information about the grant.
Spokesperson for NRB Dev Kumar Dhakal said, “We do not have a Facebook page. Attempts are being made to defraud the public by giving information on wrong profiles.”
Chief District Officer Ram Kumar Mahato of Kanchanpur was surprised to see another Facebook ID in his own name. Surprisingly, the money was being extorted by sending messages to various people from the fake ID of the CDO.
“After receiving a text message asking for money, my friends called me and informed me,” said Mahato. “I have also lodged a complaint with the cyber bureau of the police.”
These two were some references of the modes of cybercrime happened during the restriction order in the country. According to Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police, number of cybercrimes has increased during the period of restriction order.
In cybercrime, 95 per cent of the cases are linked to social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok and email phishing.
Senior Superintendent of Police Nabind Aryal said, “As the number of users of social media has increased, so has the number of abusers.”
According to him, the incidents of fraud through social media have increased. There is also a tendency to blackmail by posting offensive pictures on social media. “During the ban alone, the Bureau received 145 written complaints,” he said. “During the same period, the Bureau shut down 2,500 IDs, which were created under pseudonyms.”
A few days ago, a young man came to the Bureau with a strange complaint. A 24/25-year-old girl had sent him a friend request. In the beginning, there was normal conversation, but gradually personal issues started to be exchanged. Two weeks later, he was asked for an intimate photo.
He sent the picture without thinking much, the young lady also sent the same. However, the head of the girl was not shown. The next day she started blackmailing him by showing his same picture. When the boy started having problems fulfilling her proposal, the youth sought the help of the Bureau.
SSP Aryal said, “In the past, women were seen as victims of cybercrime, but now the number of male victims is also increasing.” Those who are less educated or with inadequate knowledge in technology are mostly targeted.
Complexity of 35 days deadline
Police have been taking action against those arrested on the charge of cybercrime as per Section 47 (1) of the Electronic Transactions Act, 2063 BS. It states that display and publication of the materials that are prohibited by the prevailing law are not allowed in electronic media including computers and internet.
Publication or display of material that is against public morality, etiquette or that spreads hatred or animosity towards anyone or disrupts relations between different castes and communities is prohibited. If confirmed, the person concerned could face a fine of up to Rs. 100,000 or imprisonment for up to five years or both.
But there is a 35-day time limit for investigation in cybercrime cases. A research officer at the Bureau said, “Research requires details from social networking companies in different countries, a process that takes time. That’s the challenge for us. “
Police officials said that some people in trouble are afraid to go to the police for fear of violating their privacy. But Aryal, the Bureau’s co-director, said maintaining the victim’s privacy was their first priority.
According to him, the Bureau had also made arrangements to file a complaint online to make it easier to lodge a complaint during the restriction order.
“We have provided services to the citizens who are in trouble even on the basis of verbal complaints coming from the phone,” he said. “Some people are afraid to speak, but after receiving complaints from emails and messengers, it has become easier for them to speak with confidence.”
Nepal Police spokesperson and SSP Basanta Bahadur Kunwar said that the investigation into the cybercrime complaint would be done keeping in mind the safety, dignity and reputation of the victim. “No one should be afraid that their personal privacy will be violated.”
Ways to remain safe
Shantosh Poudel, director of the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, said, “First of all, we have to keep the password of the social networks strong and activate things like ‘Two Factor Authentication’, ‘OTP’ and ‘Fingerprint’.”
Kunwar said that one should not exchange personal and family matters with a stranger on social media. He said, “Users should also be aware, otherwise the police alone could not take the initiative.”
According to Poudel, it is easier to retrieve social media accounts if they are out of reach, so use a ‘recovery’ email and mobile number. According to him, since every social network has a ‘privacy setting’, some things should be kept secret.
Source : TRN,
