Even the Union ministry of new and renewable energy has issued a warning about some fake websites offering solar-power pumps to farmers and collecting information and registration charges. Some portals mentioned by the ministry include kusumyojanaonline.in.net, pmkisankusumyojana.co.in, onlinekusumyojana.org.in and pmkisamkusumyojana.com, among others.

 
To ensure you are accessing a genuine website of the Indian government and to know details of various schemes, it is best to visit the official portal of the concerned ministry.

If you do not know the web address, then use India.gov.in portal to find out the authentic portal of the concerned ministry or department. India.gov.in also provides information about various schemes offered by the government. Here is the link that provides detailed information about PM-KUSUM scheme https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/pm-kusum-pradhan-mantri-kisan-urja-suraksha-evam-utthaan-mahabhiyan-scheme.
   
Loan on Phone
The Thane police arrested three people for allegedly duping borrowers by pretending to be bank officials. According to a report from Mid-Day, these fraudsters acting as bankers called loan seekers, informing them that their loan had been sanctioned. They then asked for Rs30,000 as processing charges to clear the loan file.

In a case registered with Manpada police station, the victim reportedly paid nearly Rs7.34 lakh to the criminals and filed a complaint when he realised he had been duped. Shekhar Bagde, senior inspector at Manpada police station, told the newspaper that, based on a tip-off, one accused was held from Shimla, and his interrogation led to the arrests of his associates from Noida and other parts of Uttar Pradesh.

He is quoted as saying, "The modus operandi was to open bank accounts using fake documents and then to trap people who are on the lookout for loans. They would tell the victims that loans had been sanctioned and would keep fleecing them by way of fees and charges, some non-existent."

"The Rs7.34 lakh taken from the complainant has been recovered, while five mobile phones and ATM cards have been seized from the accused," Mr Bagde says.

Admission to Foreign College Costs Rs8.50 Lakh
A woman from Dahisar, near Mumbai, was lucky to get her money back due to quick action by the police. In this case, assistant police inspector (API) Ankush Dandge and constable Shrikant Deshpande from the cyber cell tracked the bank account number where the money was transferred. Police approached the bank, asking them to freeze the account.

The woman was offered admission to a US-based institute by a person she met at an international job fair. She paid Rs8.50 lakh to the agent in multiple transactions. "However, after this, the accused stopped responding to her calls and messages. The complainant realised she was duped and approached Dahisar police on 21 December 2022," says a report from Mid-Day.

Police also found that the bank account had more money than was transferred by the woman. Pravin Patil, senior inspector at Dahisar police station, told the newspaper, "We suspect that the accused has cheated others using the same modus operandi."   

The woman, in this case, was, indeed, lucky to get back her money, as reported. However, in case you come across someone who offers admission to some big foreign college or institute for a fee, be alert and stay away.

How To Report Cyberfraud?
Do report cyber crimes to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal http://cybercrime.gov.in or call the toll-free National Helpline number, 1930. To follow on social media: Twitter (@Cyberdost), Facebook (CyberDostI4C), Instagram (cyberdostl4C), Telegram (cyberdosti4c).
 

Are you a victim of Online Financial Fraud? Immediately call helpline Number 1930 and register your complaint at https://t.co/cr6WZMOi4c pic.twitter.com/HZqUMKSDNF

— Cyber Dost (@Cyberdost) October 12, 2022