Police and mental health professionals said fear and greed were the leading influences that make individuals particularly prone to cyber fraud. They pointed out that despite various awareness campaigns, these emotions remain the main drivers behind the number of people that fall victim to cyber crimes.

The concern for loved ones facing difficulties, coupled with the desire to secure a substantial return on a small investment, frequently leads individuals to become targets of online scammers, they noted.

Hundreds of cyber frauds are reported every day across the state, most of them having a similar modus operandi.

“Many people who become victims of cyber crime either say they were scared of being blackmailed or they were momentarily overcome by the greed for quick money,” said an officer of the cyber crime cell of Kolkata Police, who has spoken to several victims during investigations.

The common tricks used by such online criminals include making phone calls posing as bank officials, asking for personal details, or pretending to be police officers, claiming there is a courier in the name of their targets containing drugs.

Police said, despite wide publicity and awareness campaigns, many people are falling prey to cases of “digital arrests” or bank-related fraud.

“In digital arrest or banking-related frauds, the fraudsters mostly try to scare the victim with arrest or with the fear of maligning their near and dear ones with the threat to publish their objectionable photographs, which actually do not exist,” said a senior police officer.

However, in the case of investment fraud, people are lured into investing in a scheme with false promises of high returns. Such schemes are often publicised through social media,

Police said that spoofing websites is also a common means of trapping people into an online offense.

A Baguiati resident spotted a website offering a lucrative discount on a reputable garments brand and ordered a dress only to realise later that the website is fake.

“I realised the fraud after I received a call, apparently from the delivery partner of that brand, saying that I would have to pay again. When I asked for the reason, the caller said that if I paid the amount again, they would refund me the whole amount, and if I refused to pay, they would not deliver my dress, for which I had already paid. I decided not to pay,” said a homemaker who regularly shops online.

“While checking, I found that the website was also not that of the original brand. They had deliberately given a similar name to confuse online shoppers,” she added.

According to police officers, fraudsters target their victims after thorough research on their background and identity documents.

“In case of digital arrest, the fraudsters would mention the accurate Aadhar card of the victim to win confidence and to authenticate their identity,” said the officer.

Psychiatrists said many victims who fall prey to cyber fraud are elderly people and are predisposed to anxiety.

The fear is supplemented by information, 90 to 95% is accurate, which makes the caller seem more genuine than he is, said psychiatrist Jai Ranjan Ram.

“In my experience, most of them are elderly, docile, and in some cases, have an anxious temperament. But that does not account for the frequency with which young people are falling into traps,” said Ram.

Psychiatrist Sanjay Garg said once a fear is instilled, it is used to their advantage to “emotionally blackmail” the target audience.

“The victim is told that the family will get involved, affected. That is the second step of fear, which is created in the individual’s mind. So despite awareness, people fall into the trap,” said Garg.

He said the elderly are targeted and fall prey because they are “living alone.”

“Despite awareness campaigns, there are elderly people who live alone, have poor awareness, and are technologically not savvy,” said Garg.

The scamsters “use newer methods” and are updated.

“Sending e-cards for wedding invitations is another method. Unless you are aware of what kind of file it is, one might end up clicking and downloading the file and compromising the device’s security,” said Garg.

Many of the messages come during working hours, and perhaps a person is not always that mindful while clicking on a link, said Garg.

“When calls come, the crucial thing is not to get anxious, disconnect the phone, or ask them to call back,” said Ram.