The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is working with the Delhi Police and the Home Ministry to identify and block fraudulent actors who are duping unsuspecting people desperately looking to buy oxygen supplies and other medical resources, the Hindustan Times reported. In the wake of the pandemic, criminals have been defrauding people through fraudulent websites and social media accounts. These fraudsters essentially dupe customers into sending them money under the guise of charitable donations, volunteer work, medical supplies and other resources. The first instance of COVID-19 related payment frauds took place last year when fake Unified Payments Interface (UPI) accounts were created purporting to be official channels through people could donate to the PM CARES COVID-19 relief fund. According to the report, the Delhi Police's cyber crime cell is now working with the Home Ministry and NPCI to identify these fraud actors, block their UPI handles and bank accounts. As of Wednesday, the Delhi Police had registered 61 First-Information-Reports under the penal provisions for cheating and fraud related to COVID-19 medicines or oxygen. The report said the police will also block the use of mobile phones used as part of these frauds with the help of the NPCI. Upon receiving a complaint from the public against such frauds, the police will contact the NPCI to freeze the bank account of the suspect. The police will also work with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to ensure that phone numbers used by the fraudsters undergo the mandatory customer verification process, it added.…
