Cybersecurity in the Power Sector; The Central Electricity Authority released draft regulations for public comments

Introduction

In todays time, we can access any information in seconds and from the comfort of our homes or offices. The internet and its applications have been substantial in creating an ease of access to information, but the biggest question which still remains unanswered is Which information is legit and which one is fake? As netizens, we must be critical of what information we access and how.

Influence of Bad actors

The bad actors are one of the biggest threats to our cyberspace as they make the online world full of fear and activities which directly impact the users financial or emotional status by exploitaing their vulnerabilities and attacking them using social engineering. One such issue is website spoofing. In website spoofing, the bad actors try and create a website similar to the original website of any reputed brand. The similarity is so uncanny that the first time or occasional website users find it very difficult to find the difference between the two websites. This is basically an attempt to access sensitive information, such as personal and financial information, and in some cases, to spread malware into the users system to facilitate other forms of cybercrimes. Such websites will have very lucrative offers or deals, making it easier for people to fall prey to such phoney websites In turn, the bad actors can gain sensitive information right from the users without even calling or messaging them.

The Incident

A Noida based senior citizen couple was aggreved by using their dishwasher, and to get it fixed, they looked for the customer care number on their web browser. The couple came across a customer care number- 1800258821 for IFB, a electronics company. As they dialed the number and got in touch with the fake customer care representative, who, upon hearing the couple’s issue, directed them to a supposedly senior official of the company. The senior official spoke to the lady, despite of the call dropping few times, he was admant on staying in touch with the lady, once he had established the trust factor, he asked the lady to download an app which he potrayed to be an app to register complaints and carry out quick actions. The fake senior offical asked the lady to share her location and also asked her to grant few access permissions to the application along with a four digit OTP which looked harmless. He further asked the kady to make a transaction of Rs 10 as part of the complaint processing fee. Till this moment, the couple was under the impression that their complaimt had been registred and the issue with their dishwasher would be rectified soon.

The couple later at night recieved a message from their bank, informing them that Rs 2.25 lakh had been debited from their joint bank account, the following morning, they saw yet another text message informing them of a debit of Rs 5.99 lakh again from their account. The couple immediatly understood that they had become victims to cyber fraud. The couple immediatly launched a complaint on the cyber fraud helpline 1930 and their respective bank. A FIR has been registerd in the Noida Cyber Cell.

How can senior citizens prevent such frauds?

Senior citizens can be particularly vulnerable to cyber frauds due to their lack of familiarity with technology and potential cognitive decline. Here are some safeguards that can help protect them from cyber frauds:

• Educate seniors on common cyber frauds: It’s important to educate seniors about the most common types of cyber frauds, such as phishing, smishing, vishing, and scams targeting seniors.
• Use strong passwords: Encourage seniors to use strong and unique passwords for their online accounts and to change them regularly.
• Beware of suspicious emails and messages: Teach seniors to be wary of suspicious emails and messages that ask for personal or financial information, even if they appear to be from legitimate sources.
• Verify before clicking: Encourage seniors to verify the legitimacy of links before clicking on them, especially in emails or messages.
• Keep software updated: Ensure seniors keep their software, including antivirus and operating system, up to date.
• Avoid public Wi-Fi: Discourage seniors from using public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions, such as online banking or shopping.
• Check financial statements: Encourage seniors to regularly check their bank and credit card statements for any suspicious transactions.
• Secure devices: Help seniors secure their devices with antivirus and anti-malware software and ensure that their devices are password protected.
• Use trusted sources: Encourage seniors to use trusted sources when making online purchases or providing personal information online.
• Seek help: Advise seniors to seek help if they suspect they have fallen victim to a cyber fraud. They should contact their bank, credit card company or report the fraud to relevant authorities. Calling 1930 should be the first and primary step.

Conclusion

The cyberspace is new space for people of all generations, the older population is a little more vulnerble in this space as they have not used gadgets or internet for most f theur lives, and now they are dependent upon the devices and application for their convinience, but they still do not understand the technology and its dark side. As netizens, we are responsible for safeguarding the youth and the older population to create a wholesome, safe, secured and sustainable cyberecosystem. Its time to put the youth’s understanding of tech and the life experience of the older poplaution in synergy to create SoPs and best practices for erradicating such cyber frauds from our cyberspace. CyberPeace Foundation has created a CyberPeace Helpline number for victims where they will be given timely assitance for resolving their issues; the victims can reach out the helpline on +91 95700 00066 and thay can also mail their issues on helpline@cyberpeace.net.

Executive Summary:

Internship scams have infiltrated the academic landscape, scamming students of many prestigious colleges. The students often prefer to carry out internships to gain knowledge and work experience. These scams use the name of popular multinational companies to exploit the students. This report studies the various case studies, their modus operandi, impact on the students and preventive strategies. This report emphasises the importance of awareness and proactive measures to protect students from falling victim to such frauds.

1. Introduction

Internships are the opportunity to overcome the gap between the practical knowledge acquired at the university and practical experience, to get practical skills and contacts in the field of activity, as well as improve employment prospects. Instead, because of high paying internships and interesting positions students have become targets of work scams. As we have seen with the advancement in digital technology, scammers take advantage of the disguise of the internet, making very neat, smart, and convincing scams. 

 Internship scams are very prevalent and they include fake job listings and phishing schemes as well as payment frauds which make students lose lots of money and also emotionally expose them. In this specific case, this paper examines how these scams work, the warning signs, and ways of protecting students from falling victim to them.

2. Detailed Modus Operandi of Internship Scams

Internship scams often employ  a variety of tactics to attract and deceive unsuspecting students. Below is a detailed breakdown of the common methods used by scammers:

1. Fake Job Listings and Offers:some text
   • Scammers post attractive internship offers on popular job portals, social media platforms, and even send personalised messages via LinkedIn. These listings often mimic the branding and style of reputable companies, including well-designed logos, professional email addresses, and official-looking websites.
   • Example: A fake internship offer from a reputed software firm circulates on a job portal, with a professional landing page. Students who apply are quickly “hired” without any interviews, and are asked to pay a security deposit to confirm their acceptance.
2. Upfront Payment Requests:some text
   • Scammers ask for payment such as registration fees, training materials, background checks, or security deposits. These payments comes under non-refundable payment  and it act as the primary revenue stream for the fraudsters.
   • Example: A group of students receive internship offers requiring a payment of INR 10,000 for "training materials" and "online assessments." After making the payment, the students never hear back from the company, and all attempts to contact them were futile.
3. Phishing and Identity Theft:some text
   • Beyond financial fraud, some scams aim to steal personal information. Fake internship applications often require detailed personal data, including identity proofs, bank account details. This data will be used as identity theft or sold on the dark web.
   • Example: A student applies for an internship that asks for copies of identification documents and bank details. This information sharing led to unauthorised transactions in their bank account. 
4. Work-from-Home Frauds:some text
   • With the rise of remote work, scammers also offer work-from-home internships that require students to purchase software or pay for specialised training. After payment, students are often given irrelevant tasks or no tasks at all, leaving them with no real work experience.
   • Example: An internship advertised as a "remote data analysis role" required students to buy a proprietary software licence. After paying, students realised the software was freely available online, and the internship tasks were non-existent.
5. Impersonation of Reputed Companies:some text
   • Scammers use the name of well-known companies, they modify the email addresses or create fake websites that look original. They use these platforms to send offer letters, making it difficult for students to identify the scam.
   • Example: A scammer creates a fake website mirroring a major consulting firm's internship page. The only difference is a minor change in the URL. Dozens of students are duped into paying registration fees.

3. Case Studies of Real-Life Incidents

1. Case Study 1: The Certification Course and Internshipsome text
   • A group of students received personalised emails from an official domain of a reputed tech industry providing an internship offer. Students were asked to pay Rs 10,000 to undergo a certification course to carry the internship. After paying the amount, the students did not receive any instructions, and the company was found to be nonexistent. The scammer had spoofed the company’s email domain, making it difficult to trace the source.
2. Case Study 2: The Social Media Trapsome text
   • A student from a university encountered an internship post on Instagram, advertising roles at a popular fashion brand. The application process involved a "screening fee" of INR 5,000. Despite appearing legitimate, the internship was fake, and the brand had no knowledge of the post. The student's personal data was also compromised, leading to unauthorised social media activity.
3. Case Study 3: Internship Providing Social Platformssome text
   • A popular internship providing platform, faced an incident where a scammer posted fraudulent internship offers under the guise of a major multinational. The scam involved asking students to purchase expensive software to start their work. The platform had to issue warnings and remove the listings after several complaints.

4. The Impact on Students

The consequences of internship scams extend beyond immediate financial loss, affecting students on multiple levels:

1. Financial Impact:some text
   • Students lose their money, ranging from minor fees to significant payments.
2. Emotional and Psychological Distress:some text
   • These kinds of scams can lead to anxiety, depression and loss of confidence in availing the opportunities in future. 
3. Exposure to Further Scams:some text
   • Scammers often share details of their victims with other fraudsters, making students susceptible to repeated scams, including phishing attacks, financial frauds, and unsolicited offers.

5. Preventive Measures

1. Verification of Internships:some text
   • Always verify the authenticity of the internship by researching the company on official platforms such as LinkedIn, the company’s official website, and through trusted contacts or college placement cells.
2. Avoid Upfront Payments:some text
   • Employers do not ask for money in exchange for job or internship offers. If they demand for any kind of payment, then the employer is not original. Always question the necessity of such payments and consult trusted advisors before proceeding.
3. Use Trusted Job Portals:some text
   • Apply for internships through recognized platforms like LinkedIn, Internshala, or your college’s placement cell, which have verification processes to filter out fraudulent postings.
4. Reporting Scams:some text
   • Report suspicious offers to your college authorities, placement cells, and local cybercrime departments. Additionally, use platforms like Internshala’s “Report This Job” feature to flag fraudulent listings.
5. Stay Educated and Updated:some text
   • It is important to educate students by providing workshops, webinars, and awareness sessions on cybersecurity to stay informed and report about the latest scams. 

6. Conclusion

Internship scams are a severe threat to the student society since they manipulate the student’s desire for an internship. The best ways to prevent such cons are by being cautious and receptive to whatever is being offered. Internship seekers, colleges and the placement cells have to work hand in hand to ensure that there is no fear among  people seeking internships.

References

1. Smith, J. (2024). Internship Scams on the Rise: How to Spot and Avoid Them. Retrieved from example1.com.
2. Brown, A. (2023). Student Internship Scams in India: A Growing Concern. Retrieved from example2.com.
3. Johnson, L. (2024). How to Protect Yourself from Fake Internship Offers. Retrieved from example3.com.
4. Gupta, R. (2024). Social Media and the Rise of Job Scams. Retrieved from example4.com.

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Executive Summary:

A video of Pakistani Olympic gold medalist and Javelin player Arshad Nadeem wishing Independence Day to the People of Pakistan, with claims of snoring audio in the background is getting viral. CyberPeace Research Team found that the viral video is digitally edited by adding the snoring sound in the background. The original video published on Arshad's Instagram account has no snoring sound where we are certain that the viral claim is false and misleading.

Claims:

A video of Pakistani Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem wishing Independence Day with snoring audio in the background.

Fact Check:

Upon receiving the posts, we thoroughly checked the video, we then analyzed the video in TrueMedia, an AI Video detection tool, and found little evidence of manipulation in the voice and also in face.

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We then checked the social media accounts of Arshad Nadeem, we found the video uploaded on his Instagram Account on 14th August 2024. In that video, we couldn’t hear any snoring sound. 

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Hence, we are certain that the claims in the viral video are fake and misleading.

Conclusion:

The viral video of Arshad Nadeem with a snoring sound in the background is false. CyberPeace Research Team confirms the sound was digitally added, as the original video on his Instagram account has no snoring sound, making the viral claim misleading.

• Claim: A snoring sound can be heard in the background of Arshad Nadeem's video wishing Independence Day to the people of Pakistan.
• Claimed on: X, 
• Fact Check: Fake & Misleading

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