Social networking, Mobile phones & Cyber-crime!

"Hey dude, wassup?". A common question you ask to your “Friend” in social networking sites. Perhaps you would never ask that in direct to the same person! Networking sites grabbed a lot influence in the youth now and has become the latest youth icon. People who don’t even smile when met each other in person will send smiles :-) in Facebook!!  Social networking has become a status symbol for the youth now. If you do not have account in FB or twitter, you are treated as socially introvert and people will treat you like they treat Manmohan Singh!! Same is the case with smart apps phones. Having smart phones- iPhone, RIM or whatever, is a matter of “Social standard”. 

The cyber cell in Trissur, Kerala is piled up with cyber-crime case files, which rose through the use of networking sites and mobile phones! The cyber-crime dept. is not even able to find time to open many of the cases. That much is the rate of increase in cyber-crimes. With the intro of networking sites, smart phones, tablets, slate and all gadgets, the world is coming smaller and everyone has ‘virtual’ friendships, and gangs! However, just keep in mind, if these are not used in proper way will take you behind bars or ditch your life!!

An incident happened in a college two months back in Kerala was filed in cyber cell, Trissur. The incident goes like this:

Father of a student in that college was shocked to see Valentine’s Day wishes mail from the college lady principal in his mailbox! What happened to the lady Hitler? She was renowned for her strictness and disciplined behavior. Next day every parent in the college received romantic mails and half naked pictures of girls in their mailbox from the same principal! The issue got on fire from then. Parents sued the principal. When cyber cell came into picture, they found out that principal is innocent and two “ex” students of the college, whom principal had dismissed, used principal’s credentials and sent mails from her id. They got to know her id as she had the habit of writing down the username and password on her table near the keyboard!!

Moral: Never write down your user name or password anywhere. Keep up the confidentiality.

Another incident registered with cyber cell, Trissur was like this:

Naked pictures of a ninth standard girl started “flying” to friends and relatives in Facebook! Somebody has entered into her profile and was uploading the pictures and tagging everyone. When cyber police enquired, they got to know the ‘dirty brain’ behind this cruelty! Three girls together started their FB account and everyone knew the password each other. Of that, one girl’s college-going lover somehow traced her friend’s FB password and did all these crime in her account. When asked, he said- he was taking revenge to her for breaking his relation with his lover. She brainwashed her friend (his lover) that the guy is not good and brought the relation to an end!!

Moral: Never disclose your password even to your close friends!

Another incident that rose due to mobile phone:

A girl started receiving ‘anonymous’ calls in her mobile teasing her, trying to flirt with her and even romances and abuses! How much ever she disconnects, the call keeps on coming. She changed her phone number 7 times! Still he will trace her number and call within 3 days! In order to avoid this she sent him money, gold and all. Then the level increased. He started demanding more and more, and started black mailing her. Then the case reached the cyber cell. The investigation ended up in her brother’s close friend!
The story goes like this. Every time the girl changes her number, the guy got the new number from her brother. As he was close to family, no one doubted him also. At last enquiry based on mobile tower trapped him.

Moral: No one is anonymous in mobile!

Now let’s be serious. If the normal cell in a jail has 4 bars, then cyber cell has 8 bars! That sharp and precise is Indian government’s cyber law. They framed it with no loop poles. Hats off to the architects!

For example:  It may be easy to shout and scold someone on the road. It is punishable under IPC294 act- 3 months imprisonment! However, if you are scolding over mobile phone, it becomes cyber-crime. Under IT acts, eligible for 3 years imprisonment!! For proving the case if you scold directly, you need witnesses. However, in mobile phone you don’t need witnesses! Mobile network providers will submit the details. And if the conversation is recorded, then start counting bars!!

Now listen. Many log into internet, networking sites and all for fun and time pass. But be aware that most of these fun and time pass activities end up in the darkness of crime. Some as hunters and others as prey! Out of these most are girls. Even the people who are aware of self-protection forget that when they come in front of internet. So be conscious and careful. Only you yourself can safeguard you!