CBI alerts on online payment frauds, fake sanitizers

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued alerts to police organisations of states and Union Territories about instances of online advance payment frauds and sale of spurious hand sanitizers.

The alerts have been issued on the basis of inputs received from Interpol -- the international criminal police organisation that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control.

On the online advance payment scams, the CBI said it involved criminals approaching as vendors of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and other protective equipment suppliers related to Covid-19 pandemic and entering into online business transactions with clients.

After receipt of payment via bank transfers, the fraudulent vendors won`t deliver items, the CBI said.

In another alert, the CBI says about instances in other countries of use of methanol for preparing spurious hand sanitizers.

"Instances have been reported in other countries where due to huge demand for hand sanitizers during Covid-19 pandemic, use of methanol was detected to produce counterfeit hand sanitizers," the CBI said.

Methanol can be highly toxic and dangerous for humans.

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The alerts have been issued at a time when the country has surpassed the UK to become the fourth worst-hit country with over 3.32 lakh coronavirus cases and now behind only the US, Brazil and Russia.