RBI today asked the public to ignore or inform police about fictitious mails or SMS related to lottery winnings, remittance of cheap funds in foreign currency from abroad or employment offers.

General fraud played by the tricksters was that the money was held in RBI in an account in the name of individual/company or trust and that RBI will disburse the fund only when the amount asked for was deposited in a bank, K R Ananda, RBI Regional Director, Chennai, told reporters here.

The fraudsters, who have the knack of getting Email ID or Mobile phone numbers, wanted to create an impression that RBI was the agent to distribute the money and cheat the gullible public of lakhs of rupees, he said.

On why RBI was concerned about these frauds, Ananda said that the fraudsters impersonated the officers of the Apex Bank and contacted the victims over phone by giving telephone numbers and fake email IDs and also attempt to duplicate the RBI website to the lure the public.

Stating that about 25 to 30 such cases have been reported in Tamil Nadu, Ananda said that though RBI did not have any investigative powers to trace and book the culprits, Directorate of Enforcement was investigating the cases.

The citizens should ignore such communications and not pay any money to participate in such schemes and immediately contact the local police, cyber crime cell and register their complaints, Ananda said.