July 20, Kathmandu. With the rise of internet access, the incidence of social media abuse has also increased. Complaints of crimes through Facebook, Twitter, Tiktak, Instagram and other places have increased after the lockdown and ban, according to the Cyber Bureau.
⇒ A year ago, a couple of youths lodged a complaint at the Cyber Bureau in Bhotahiti. Stating that they have been in a relationship for some time, they mentioned that a third person was threatening them by sending an intimate picture. After receiving the complaint, the bureau started investigating the technical aspect as well as how the picture came out.
During the investigation, it was revealed that the picture was sent by her boyfriend who came to lodge a complaint. "Looking at the details of Gmail used to create the Facebook account, it was found that the boyfriend's other email address was also used," said an official involved in the investigation. "Other facts also show his involvement."
The bureau arrested the young man, but the young woman could not believe it until she was handcuffed.
⇒ Two days ago, a teenager from Maharajgunj was sent a photo by her relatives with her ex-boyfriend. Surprised at how the old photo reached her relatives, she told her brother. While searching, it was found that the ex-boyfriend had posted a picture of the two on social media. He immediately appealed to the Cyber Bureau and the Upatyaka Crime Investigation Office for investigation.
The process of deleting the photo by contacting the Facebook office was in progress, the police contacted the youth. As soon as he found out that the police was investigating the incident, he removed the picture from Facebook and apologized. The incident happened.
⇒ Nepal Rastra Bank kept a Facebook page picture has been declared a cash grant for 200 handbooks. Through this program, a bank is said to give an estimated one thousand US dollars to 100 people. Officials are surprised when they started calling the Nation Bank to find out about the grant after seeing the Facebook post.
Bank spokesperson Dev Kumar Dhakal said, "We do not have a Facebook page. There is an attempt to deceive the public by giving information on the wrong profile." According to him, a letter has also been sent to the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police to search for the person who opened Facebook in the name of Rashtra Bank.
Kanchanpur Chief District Officer Ram Kumar Mahato 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," says Mahato. "I have also lodged a complaint with the cyber bureau of the police."
⇒ A young woman from Kathmandu came across her own pornographic video messenger. But she knew in that look that he had never shot her. Along with the video, nude pictures also started coming.
In particular, a young man attached his head to a nude photo and video found on the Internet. Bureau's SSP Navind Aryal said, "We have arrested Sanu Pode, 26, of Dallu on May 11 after it was confirmed that a nude photo of an unidentified woman was attached to the victim's face."
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According to SSP Aryal of the Cyber Bureau, the incidents mentioned are just the latest example. The number of cybercrimes has skyrocketed during the period of lockdown and ban.
In cybercrime, 95 percent of the cases are linked to social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktak and email. Aryal, who has worked in the cyber branch of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), said, "As the number of users of social media has increased, so has the number of users."
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, 145 written complaints were lodged with the bureau," he said. "During the same period, the bureau closed 2500 IDs, which were created under pseudonyms."
Both men and women suffer
A few days ago, a young man came to the cyber bureau with a strange complaint. A 24/25-year-old girl had sent him a friend request.
In the beginning, there was a 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 much thought, the young lady also sent it. She did not show her face. The next day he started blackmailing her by showing her the same picture. When he started having problems fulfilling his proposal, the youth took refuge in the bureau.
SSP Aryal says, "In the past, women were seen as victims of cybercrime, but now the number of male victims is also increasing." According to him, the gang is also active in cheating by texting saying that the lottery was won using social media. This group is targeted at those who are less educated and have less knowledge of technology.
The reasons for the increase in cybercrime
Cyber bureau officials say the use of social media has increased because people were at home during the curfew, which has increased crime. Psychologist Karuna Kunwar says that children and teenagers have been the target of recent cybercrime incidents.
"Every child has a mobile phone because it is an online class, but parents don't have time to monitor what they are doing," she told Online News. "Teens are sending requests to strangers to increase their likes, and they are being victimized by playing with them."
Nepal Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishna Koirala, on the other hand, said that the ban should not be considered as an increase in cybercrime. "Especially with the increase in access to technology, electronic crime is also on the rise," he says.
Koirala, who works at the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office, added, "We have received a lot of fraud complaints, especially through social media."
According to him, there has been a trend of asking for money in the name of gifts and lottery tickets and sending expensive gifts from abroad to people known through social media.
Advocate Baburam Aryal, who is looking into cyber-related issues, says that incidents of abuse are also coming to the surface as the e-commerce business grows during the ban.
You should not share your personal privacy and family matters with strangers on social media - Vasant Bahadur Kunwar, Police Spokesperson
Fear of breach of privacy to the victim
Police officials say 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, says maintaining the victim's privacy is 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 injunction. Aryal says that has increased the number of complaints.
"We have provided services to the citizens who are in trouble even based on verbal complaints coming from the phone," he says.
Police spokesperson Kunwar also said that the investigation into the cybercrime complaint would be done keeping in mind the safety, dignity and reputation of the victim.
'Since this matter is related to the investigating officer and the victim, what should be made public? "We are constantly instructing and monitoring what not to do," he said. "No one should be afraid that their personal privacy will be violated."
How to avoid
How to avoid cybercrime? Santosh Poudel, director of the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, says, "First of all, the password of the social network should be kept strong and things like 'two-factor authentication, 'OTP' and 'fingerprint' should be activated."
Central Police Spokesperson Basanta Bahadur Kunwar, on the other hand, said that one should not exchange personal privacy and family matters even after meeting a stranger on social media. He says, "Users should also be vigilant, otherwise the police should not take the initiative."
According to Poudel, director of the Telecommunications Authority, it is easy 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.
"As much as possible, you should not keep personal details like your home address or number," he said.
Kathmandu Police Chief SSP Ashok Singh says that any link in the messenger should not be opened. He says, "You should not be tempted to win the lottery or any prize."
The complexity of 35 days
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 the prohibited law does not allow the publication and display of materials that are prohibited by the prevailing law in electronic media including computers and the internet.
The 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.
