The Hindu Business Line : Sticky Web

She had posted her job profile on one of the community network sites. Overwhelmed by the response this elicited, this mother of a three-year-old warmed up to the chat sessions — till a blackmail threat landed.

There was this Pune-based BPO employee who signed up for cell-phone dating, all for the thrill of it. One stray contact finally pursued him so relentlessly that he had to shift residence and change his mobile/landline numbers lest she wrecked his marriage.

A doctor based in Mysore inadvertently gave her anonymous contact (phone friend) her duty number in a weak moment. Now, her husband has turned suspicious and a 20-year-old marriage could come apart.

Wondering whether you have stumbled onto some bizarre fiction? No, these are hard-hitting real-life instances of cyber crime shared with eWorld by J. Prasanna, Director and Joint Secretary, Cyber Society of India.

Prasanna says what probably starts off as a casual chat does not always end up as a long-term healthy relationship. Sometimes, it is a nightmare.

"Be it a stranger or friend, one enjoys responding to invites on the Net. This does not end there.

Mobile numbers are exchanged between strangers, messages forwarded and then one longs to put a face to the name, meet up (initially for just a chat) before deciding to take the relationship to the next level," he says.

"The victims are, by and large, women, and by the time they realise the mistake, the damage is done," he says.

But in these days of emerging, evolving technology, does this not sound negative?

Prasanna hastens to add that the fault does not lie so much with technology as indiscriminate use by the consumer. And if people continue to be unwary users, Prasanna anticipates a turn for the worse, what with connectivity tools getting better by the day.

The tendency to discuss sex, extra marital relationships and gossip is getting pronounced, he says.

Teenagers are at risk, he cautions, hence parents would do well to keep their wards informed of the perils in cyberspace.

Prasanna advises users against disclosing their real name/other sensitive personal information on community sites. And do not respond to unsolicited SMS even if you have the faintest suspicion.

Boon or bane

Pradeep Akkunoor, Director, India Forensic Consultancy Services, says people make technology a boon or a bane, depending on how they use it.

"Social networking sites have made it possible to reach out to a large number of individuals with similar interests and this certainly is good for well-intentioned individuals, which also explains their popularity."

However, he warns, there are risks associated, "especially if minors are using the Internet for dating purposes."

He recommends adult supervision when it comes to minors using the Internet/chat rooms. "If it's a stranger, make sure you know the identity of the person you are interacting with," he says.

He says a secure environment on the Web is one where an individual is identifiable — this lends more credibility to the interaction.

Chatting with strangers could lead to the computer user compromising his/her identity.

Anne Green, a fraud consultant at Experian, warns that while everyone is a potential victim, the lifestyles of the top salaried professionals, directors and business owners, who often live in the most exclusive flats and residences, makes them prime targets for identity thieves.

So, the next time you get a call from an unknown number, what will you do? It's your call. Take it with care.

lnr@thehindu.co.in

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