Beware, someone in cyberspace is out to sell your stuff

CHANDIGARH: Anuj Verma, 35, was driven to his wits' end by unwanted callers inquiring about the sale of his new SUV. They had seen the advertisement regarding sale of the vehicle in two leading online shopping portals dealing in second hand material. The advertisement, posted by a prankster, displayed a photo of the car with Anuj's contact details, mobile number and residential address.
However, despite Anuj approaching company officials on phone and e-mail, the advertisement was removed only after a week, during which Anuj received numerous calls. This is not the only such case. The cybercrime cell of the Chandigarh police has received 10 such complaints over the last six months. They attribute it to shortcomings in the verification process.
"It was a nightmarish experience for me. I answered nearly 70 to 80 calls every day till company officials removed the advertisement. It caused a lot of mental harassment and also hampered my work and personal life. It was shocking to see how easily one could get by the security system of these sites. They have even failed to ascertain the identity of the accused," said Verma, a resident of Sector 38.
Piyush Kumar of Sector 16, Panchkula, said, "Somebody posted a picture of my motorcycle on online shopping portals and I started getting calls from buyers. People were inquiring about the price and trying to negotiate with me. My life was miserable for four days. The response of company officials was cold and their executive and helpline people were of no help."
However, city residents are not satisfied with the response of the cybercrime cell. "When somebody posted the picture of my laptop and smart phone on the shopping portal with a price quoted that was considerably lesser than its market value, I had to face major harassment on the part of the cybercrime cell. I came to know about this on Saturday evening and I went to their office in Sector 17 on Sunday morning. After keeping me waiting for more than an hour, they told me officials had a weekly off. On Monday, I met an official who insisted that I take the complaint back," rued Mayan Singla, a businessman from Sector 23.
Last October, police arrested an Ambala resident, who was harassing a student from Chandigarh by posting fake advertisements on these sites. "We are in touch with these shopping portals and have advised them to conduct proper verification before allowing any advertisement. These companies do not pay much attention towards security measurements. Often, they end up spreading virus," said a senior official of the UT cybercrime cell.