RBI governor meeting UN secretary general is new phishing ploy

Got an email from RBI governor Raghuram Rajan requesting you to transfer funds for winning a lottery for which you never bought a ticket? Well, don’t ever think of replying to it, just hit the delete button. Such phishing mails offering millions of pounds of windfall are achieving new levels of sophistication. This time, scamsters have made the RBI governor meet Ban Kin-Moon, secretary general of the UN to sanction the release of the hidden unclaimed fortune from accounts across the borders.

A RBI spokesperson was quick to caution the public against such mails, but expressed her helplessness. She said, “The technology is so advanced, the scamsters get the better of us whatever firewalls we may put up.” RBI is, however, undertaking public campaigns by putting up advertisements in newspapers asking the public keep up their guard.

Sample this letter which one of our correspondents received recently. “The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, Dr Raghuram G Rajan and Ban Kin-moon Secretary-General of the UN met with the Senate Tax Committee on Finance RBI Mumbai/Delhi branch regarding unclaimed funds which have been due for a long run. At the end of the meeting, RBI governor mandated all unclaimed funds to be released back to the beneficiaries stating that it is an unfair practice to withhold funds in government coffers for one reason or the other. e.g., tax accumulations.”

The phishing mails confidently contain e-mail ids and websites that look official — such as info@rbi.org, reserve_bank@aol.co.uk, dept_newdelhi_rbi.indian@financier.com, among others. The fake mails further reads, “We are writing this email to inform you that the total sum of (1,000,000.00 GBP), will be released to you in your bank account in full value.

You are only required to obtain a Letter Of Approval (L.O.A) from the UN Office in new Delhi, by the direction of the assigned British Consulate Mr. Ryan Adam Harvey. The letter of Approval Backs up your transfer with the Reserve Bank of India (R.B.I) and is the only legal Certification you need to protect your money against unwarranted third parties and government bodies.

Also note that it was committed by (RBI) Governor that the Beneficiary is required to acknowledge receipt, reply and lay claim to this funds immediately within the span of (2 working days) of receiving this mail. Also re-confirm your details for crediting. Fill the form below and send it immediately to our email: rbitransferunit@webadicta.org Verification for prompt collection of your fund.”

The mailers are smart enough to add that the receivers of such mails are advised to keep all your winning data and information to themselves, away from friends or relatives to avoid unwarranted or unauthorised third party inclusion. “RBI would not condole such as you would be disqualified immediately,” the mailer added.