Do not get carried away if your boss or a close relative calls you over the phone and asks for money urgently saying s/he is in a grave danger.

Before sending the money, make sure the call is made by the very person as several fraud gangs, using cloned SIM cards, are taking away huge amounts of money in such way.

The fraudulence came to light as Rapid Action Battalion on Wednesday night arrested nine alleged members of such gang from the capital's Uttara.

The gang has already misappropriated Tk 50 lakh with spoofing (cloning) mobile numbers of at least 40 district commissioners (DC), thana nirbahi officers and other government officials, said Khandker Lutful Kabir, commanding officer of Rab-4, at a press briefing at Rab media centre in Karwan Bazar.

Cloning of SIM cards is a system through which fraudsters make calls using a person's number. Only law enforcers have the technology to track down such callers, Rab said.

Mofazzal Hossain Chan, chairman of Jhenaigati Sadar union parishad in Sherpur district, is a victim of such fraudulence.

In December last year, the gang took Tk 70,000 from him through mobile banking service, after making a call with a spoofed number belonging to the upazila nirbahi officer.

The victim filed a general diary with the local police two days later when he came to know about the fact. “Still I'm surprised, how the fraudsters can duplicate a phone number,” Mofazzal told The Daily Star yesterday.

The director general of the department of fisheries recently wrote to Rab headquarters seeking legal steps as some unscrupulous men have been demanding money and asking for favours from the fisheries officials by making calls cloning his phone number, Rab said.

The gang spoofed the mobile numbers of DCs of Kushtia, Sirajganj, Nilphamari, Dinajpur and Brahmanbaria and some others, Rab said quoting the nine arrestees.

The arrestees are Ashraful islam alias Apel, 20, the mastermind, Mahmudul Hasan, 19, Rakibul Islam, Mohidul Islam alias Milon, 20, Abu Kawsar alias Sabu, 19, Nazmul Hasan, 19, Amanullah Aman, 28, Sagar Hossain, 26, and Billal Hosain, 21.

Rab also seized 22 mobile phones, two laptops, four computers and 53 SIM cards.  

“They (fraudsters) are not only misappropriating money but also threatening people…,” said Khandker Lutful. “Sometimes, these gangs try to hamper the law and order situation by sending misleading SMS,” he added.

Before sending money, everyone should match voice or call back to confirm as the actual owner will get the return call, the official said.