India has maximum number of cyber criminals; most victims are old and technologically unsound: Punjab and Haryana High Court

India has the maximum number of cyber criminals and they bring bad name to the nation, the Punjab and Haryana High Court bemoaned while denying bail to one such person [Mohd. Jubair vs State of Haryana]..Single-judge Justice Anoop Chitkara also said that most victims of such cyber criminals are middle-aged or old people who are technologically handicapped persons and know only some basic features of the smartphone which make them easy targets."Besides being middle-aged or old, most victims are simple, honest, and truthful people who believe these thugs to be like them. They do not know any technology except some basic features of the smartphones, and this little knowledge makes them vulnerable to cyber-thugs. Unfortunately, maximum number of these cyber criminals operate from our country, bringing a terrible name to the nation," the bench observed. The Court elaborated on the modus operandi of these call centre thugs, which he said operate in a pack.They get in touch with a 'vulnerable' suspect through malicious links sent through phishing or by making calls on their numbers.They get access to these numbers from the dark web, where another set of criminals keeps selling people's personal information, like their mobile numbers, e-mails, and even Aadhar numbers, bank account details, PAN, passport details, date of birth, etc.Usually they interact in a designed transcript and after taking the victims into confidence, they would pass on their calls to their accomplices by referring to them as their managers. Whenever these thugs find that the victim is slipping away, they bring another gang member by referring them as a senior manager who would again entrap the person, the Court noted."They also prefer female gang members to speak to the male victims. They work and operate in criminal conspiracy and target to siphon money from the victim's accounts. All these thugs who attend such calls or become instrumental in the cycling of the funds, prima facie, are fully aware of the motive and style of the gang's operations, which is to rob the susceptible victim of as much money as possible and continue to do so until such a person runs out of liquidity," the judge recorded in the order passed on February 22. .The observations were made while denying anticipatory bail to one Mohd. Jubair, who duped a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel of ₹14.46 lakh. He alleged told the victim that he works for the Bharti AXA General Insurance Company and, therefore, offered him some loans.Initially, the complainant did not believe him but since Jubair along with other of his "gang members" kept calling him claiming to be an official working in the reputed insurance firm, the victim fell into the trap and deposited the amounts, as asked by them. .It was learnt during the probe that the accused and his gang members were working for one Haxar Insurance Services in Kurukshetra district. The judge noted that the applicant Jubair was well aware of the crime and yet participated in the same. "Thus, prima facie, there is sufficient evidence to connect the applicant with the proceeds of crime and his operating as a conduit and an active member of the gangs of online thugs. The evidence indicates that he and his accomplices operate as online thugs. The sly way he and his accomplice and other thugs, conned, tricked, deceived, swindled, and defrauded the gullible complainant pointed out the dangerous indicator that the thugee has revived, and if not sternly dealt with now, it might upsurge, revisiting the history," the bench underscored. With these observations, the bench dismissed the anticipatory bail application..Advocate Devender S Punia appeared for the Applicant.Deputy Advocate General Manish Bansal represented the State. .[Read Order]