Mobile tower fraud
This mass market fraud centers on the installation of a mobile tower on property owned by the victim.
The owner of the space/property (rooftop or land) in turn gets a long-term assured monthly rental income from the telecom company.
The property owners who are willing to offer their land or rooftop space and are looking for such mobile tower rental business deals makes the telephonic contact with the telephone/mobile number published in the newspaper, online classified website or mentioned in SMS.
The IP-I registered companies shall provide dark fibres, Right of Way, duct space and towers on lease, renting out, or on sale basis to the licensees of telecom services on mutually agreed terms and conditions.
[6][7] To reduce the capital expenditure, IP-1 companies and access service providers are entering into direct lease agreement with the individual property owners.
The employees or representatives of the telecom company negotiates with the property owners and obtains the lease right for installation of mobile tower on the vacant land or roof top.
A telecom tower company agrees to pay the monthly rent to property owners and both are entered into a long term registered lessor–lessee contract.
The toll-free number indicates those fraudsters are increasing their communication lines to handle mass callers at a time.
Victims are asked to deposit small registration amount and to share the name, address and other information for installation of mobile tower.
The various actors of fraudster ring interacts with the victim in such a fashion that victim feels that tower company is true and companies employee are working hard to get his tower file cleared from government authorities and the advance cheque will be released shortly.
[5]: 98–101 The strategies and techniques as proposed by the National Fraud Authority can be mapped with the mass mobile tower fraud techniques as follows:[8][5]: 101 - Selling dreams (rental income, advance, job, vehicle, long term agreement) - Professional, authority and legitimate appearance (use of name and logo of telecom authorities and government of India, insurance companies, use of name and logos of telecom access service providers, tower company name to sound similar to mobile tower companies) - Good sales pitch (fraud ring actors/con artist: engineer, surveyor, MD, TRAI DOT officer, advocate, transporter) - Use of latest technology : Yes, relying on mobile communication, toll-free number (1800), fake websites - Intimidation : up to some extent, time pressure and coercion - Violence : No - Operates in legal hinterland : Yes, transnational offense (Interstate offense in Indian Context), Fraudster operates outside from the victims state, fraud at a distance - Procuring mobile connection and opening of bank account on fake credential basis using forged identity and address documents - Short run cycle, fraudster changes mobile numbers very frequently - Individual bank accounts are used to secure cash transfers - Immediate withdrawal of money The study reveals that there are large number of male victims, as India is a male-dominated society and thus their victimization risk is greater.
The notion that illiterate and primary educated people are more prone to mobile tower fraud is incorrect.
[5]: 102 All victims saw an opportunity for golden business venture in the advertisement being published by mobile tower fraudsters.
There were several reasons for victims to get involved in it, such as weak financial condition, retirement settlement, surplus money and land, future planning for children, physical disability of self or dependency, unemployment, or business losses.
The victims of mass mobile tower fraud can be mapped to the security weakness of "the human elements" suggested by Stajano & Wilson (2009).
Some victims became aware after writing to the government ministers and authorities and by then, substantial time is lost for reporting the fraud.
Thus, due to difficulty in tracking a fraudster, the police loses the interest in mass mobile tower fraud cases.
The majority of victims feel that as the fraud concerns mobile towers, the Department of Telecommunications or TRAI should come to their rescue.
[5]: 105–107 Public notices have been issued by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India[12] on their website regarding mass mobile tower fraud.
Telecom Enforcement, Resource and Monitoring Cells in Department of Telecommunications have also issued the public notice locally in various regional national newspapers on mass mobile tower fraud.
All complaints related to mobile tower fraud in the Department of Telecommunications are being sent for resolution to the respective TERM Cell located in the victim's state.
TERM Cell Uttar Pradesh (West) has published the public awareness notice in past.
Recently, the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India has instructed all the telecom service providers in the country and TERM Cells to initiate following actions on frauds related to installation of towers and seeking advance:[13]
