Somebody from Greece robbed the pay of our protectors, the Mumbai Police, how did they do it?

In a very strange incidence or coincidence, the salaries of Mumbai Police were robbed through what is being called 'ATM Skimming' method.  At least 8 Mumbai policemen are among 29 individuals whose bank cards were cloned and used to fraudulently withdraw cash from ATM machines in Greece as per Mumbai police.

A total of 1.3 million rupees ($23,000) was withdrawn from 29 accounts with Axis Bank Ltd.  Axis Bank manages the salary accounts of Mumbai police, and ATMs used by Police in Worli and Colaba were used to clone the cards, according to an Axis Bank spokesman.  To top it off all the withdrawals seemed to have been made from far away Greece in Europe.  

So far, the police have no clue except for the fact that the ATM machines that were used by the officers had a skimmer installed inside it.  A Skimmer is a small device that is fitted to the outlet of the slot for your card.  When you swipe your card, all the details about the card including the PIN no. are stored into the skimmer.  

This skimmer is then physically retrieved by the thieves to make clone card having a exact imprint of your skimmed card.  Now the cloned card can be used in any ATM supported by the type of Card.  For example Visa, MasterCard etc. and can be accessed anywhere in the world.  

Why the cloners chose Greece is still a big question.  The police are verifying the CCTV footage of the ATMs which are believed to be compromised.  Meanwhile Axis Bank has made good the loss of the Policemen and other individuals so that our Police do not feel the taste of what it takes to have your money stolen.

Active investigation is being undertaken by Mumbai Police with the help of CyberCell.  After all no body can steal from our protectors, eh?

However, for safety, here are 5 tips you should enforce upon yourself to protect your card from being cloned/skimmed:

1. Always use a random ATM then a preferred ATM near to your house or place of work.  Go to more crowded ones like the shopping malls, railway stations and grocery stores.  The more the ATM is secluded the easier it is for the cloners to operate.

2 Thieves can install small button cameras on the ceiling of an ATM booth, which can record the PIN number you punch on the ATM machine and or person standing close to you might be a “shoulder surfer”, trying to memorize your PIN. To avoid this always bed over the keyboard or use your free hand to  “shield” the ATM keyboard.

3. Watch out for other “skimming” devices, which are basically things installed on or near an ATM machine to “skim” or copy your card information. Any attachment to the card slot, glue residue or defacement of slot of ATM  “or noticeable resistance when pressing the keypad” 

4. Several banks recommend keeping your time inside an ATM booth to a minimum. So, keep your card ready when you enter the booth so you don’t have to open your wallet once inside. Don’t count the cash in the booth. Also, if possible, keep some deposit envelopes with you so you can fill them in advance of depositing money in the booth.

5. Use well-lit ATMs, especially at night. “If the view of the ATM machine is blocked by overgrown shrubbery or trees, or any other objects, use another machine,” says the Better Business Bureau, a nonprofit organization in the U.S. which works for consumer issues.

Remembering our founding fathers and national hero's; the Government way of wasting money

143 Crores  that was the amount spent by the UPA-II Government on the advertisements on  birth and death anniversaries of our Founding Fathers and National Heros!!!  

This money which has 7 zeros added to 143 amounts to $ 26 million and belongs to the honest and responsible taxpayers of India.  The money is used to take out full page ads in the national newspapers and regional ones (which of course are pro UPA).  

And the ads displayed often also show a pro-Congress bias with the exception of Bapu, our Father of the Nation.   But that is not the reason why I am writing this article.    Today when I opened the morning newspapers, there was an ad from Government of Maharashtra for inauguration of 1423 cement check dams titled "Turning Crisis into Opportunity..."  The total cost of the completed phase one incidentally equalled to 143 crores.  Same as the amount of ad spend by the Central Government!!!

Whole of India and Maharashtrians know of the terrible drought that has engulfed Maharashtra.  The experts believe this is the worst drought to have hit Maharashtra in decades. Building the dams would assure that this kind of tragedy is not repeated.  You may have already read about the mass suicides from the region of Vidarbha due to poverty.  The main reason for poverty is scant rainfall and inadequate irrigation facilities.  

My reasoning is simple, if the money spent on advertisements on our Founding Fathers and National Heros was spent on these kind of projects, the people of India would be far more happier and the tax payers, whose money is spent on the ads, wouldn't have a thing to complain.  

The second thing I want to point out that the literacy rate of India is around 74 percent.  Which means the 94 billion out of 125 billion Indians are literate. If they are literate then what is the need of informing them about any birthdays or anniversaries.  And for the   31 billion illiterates, the advertisements are of no use as they can neither read nor understand the advertisements.  

I know there are purists out there who argue that we should remember our National Heros but I would argue that spending the above money in some social cause with the name of the national hero would be a rather better way of creating a memorial for times eternal.  This money can be used to develop the naxal prone area(which we all know is naxal prone due to lack of basic infrastructure and rights), or for educating the Indians under Right to Education Act, or for food security under the Food Security Act.  

If nothing else can be done with the money, why not open a fund for the dead soldiers fighting for us on the borders or internally against terrorism or the CPRF Jawans who are killed by naxals.  I am sure the 143 crores will be sufficient for supporting the families of all the valiant martyrs killed in the past few years, protecting our country.

And this is just the national ad spend incurred by the Central Government, the state governments have their own agenda on ad spend.  Mayawati Behen used to come up with two page ads in Mumbai leading newspapers advertising her proud achievements.  I often wondered how advertising in Mumbai about the progress (or elephants statues) in Uttar Pradesh would benefit her or her Government.  Akhilesh seems to have followed her footsteps by giving out ads of his laptops to UP students scheme, printed in Mumbai.  Again the gist of the advertisement is not understood, if he is giving out laptops to the students, its a welcome  and a progressive move, but advertising the same in Mumbai, is a Mumbaikar eligible for the laptops?  No! So, why place these ads in  Mumbai newspapers.  I am at loss to understand the logic!!!

Maybe the Governments have their own logic but I am sure Bapu must be crawling in his grave on such wasteful expenditure.

As explained above, these are my opinions, you may differ but do post in your comments on the infructuous expenditure by our beloved and elected Governments.

Vijay Prabhu

Sunday Punch : A haircut on the street, Amchi Mumbai style

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This video was shot in realtime by my co-Author and boss Vijay Deepak Chhibber, when we had gone to have a cuppa tea.  This video was released by me on Youtube on my channel Indianfilmbar.

The haircut video has already had 1400 hits because of the raw nature of the video without any edits.  Together I and Mr.Chhibber are collecting videos of different vocations undertaken by the thousands of nameless migrants, who come to Mumbai with a dream.

It is our humble attempt to bring these people to the fore for bringing something positive to the spirit of Mumbai in their very own way.   The rest of videos are tea making, mausambhi juice, flourmill, paanwala etc.  IF you like the video do visit the channel and subscribe to it.  

Do comment in on the video and what you think of it.

Vijay Prabhu

Results time in India, check your results online for SSC (10th) , CBSE and HSC (12th) of various boards

The vacations are nearly drawing to close for all the students who had appeared for SSC (10th) and HSC (12th) this year.  Last year the Maharashtra board had declared SSC results in the last week of May and the results for HSC in the first week of June.  This year too, the same is expected from the MSBSHSE.  These results are put on the official websites much before they are distributed to the students, therefore all the students are curious and anxious to know their results.

And believe me, almost all the parents are more eager to know the results of their wards then the students themselves.  So to help this anxious parents and not so anxious students I am giving hyperlinks of almost all Boards who will declare the results.  

You have to keep your seat number/roll number ready to get the results online.   

1. 10th (SSC) for Maharashtra students

2. 12th (HSC) for Maharashtra students

3. 10th (CBSE) for All India students

4. Results for Goa students

5. Results for Karnataka students

6.  Results for Gujarat students 

7.  Results for Kerala students

8.  Results for Madhya Pradesh students

9.  Results for Meghalaya students

10. Results for Odisha students

11. Results for Punjab students

12. Results for Tamil Nadu students

13. Result for Rajasthan students

14. Result for Andhra Pradesh students

Please note that the sites might not work on the results day due to jamming and over load.  Further, check your local newspapers for the dates of declaration of results.

Hope you all do well and make your parents proud.  Best of luck.  And do press like on Facebook and Google + buttons1

Vijay Prabhu

A Little Something about Almost Everything

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M-Indicator the time table for your Trains (This post is only for Mumbaikars)

As you all know the suburban fares have been increased by the railways and the timing of trains have been changed by Western Railway so many of the commuters are confused right now regarding the exact train to catch for commuting to office.   So the makers of M-Indicator the popular App for all phones has now launched a updated version to cater to the changes. 

the new m-Indicator version 7.1 Sparrow will have the following for your needs.
1.Mumbai Local Train timetable
-Western (29 Mar 2013)
-Central (28 Mar 2013) 
-Harbour (14 Feb 2012) 
-Thane-Vashi (14 Feb 2012)
-Virar-Dahanu 
-Diva-Roha
-Dahanu Panvel
-Neral-Matheran
-Indicator Symbols,
-Rail Ticket fare
-Rail Map of all routes and proposed Nerul-Uran route
2.Bus Routes
-BEST, NMMT, TMT,VVMT
-Get route by bus number
-Get buses arriving at particular bus stop
-Search buses between source and destination
-AC bus timetable updated on March April 2013
3.Auto and taxi fare
-Day and Night fare
-Complaint numbers of RTO
-Luggage charges information
4.Classifieds section
-Get advertisements of jobs ,real estate, education..
5. Jobs
- JOB Section giving updated information of Government and Private Jobs in Mumbai and rest of the Maharashtra is available along with last date of application & website link.
6.Natak Cinema
- Get daily schedule of Marathi Natak and Cinema
7.Railway megablock information
- Get weekly updated information of railway megablocks on Sundays
8. Picnic Spots
-get category wise list of picnic spots e.g beaches, Hill stations, Waterfalls, Caves, Forts, Farmhouse, Resorts, Lakes 
-Get distance wise list of various weekend picnic spots nearby Mumbai.
-Watch pics , read description and other information about spot
-Get updated list(Oct 2012) of MTDC approved budget hotels of all over Maharashtra
8."Indian Railways PNR status check". PNR can be checked through internet or through SMS.
9.Movies
- get Theater wise list of latest Movie shows in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane.
10. Sodexo Outlet Locator
- Search Sodexo outlet nearby your area

So if you are a Mumbaikar, this is a must have App for you.  
1. Android users download the App from Google Play.

2. Blackberry (old) users download the App here.

3. Nokia users(Java version) users download the App here Jad file and Jar file.

4. Samsung and LG  (Java version) users download the App here Jad file and Jar file

5. Windows Phone 7.5 and 8 users can download the App from Windows Phone Store here.

Kindly post in your comments on the App.  If you like this App visit my page of Phone Apps here and enjoy.  To keep abreast of Mumbai news click here.

If you are looking for train travels outside Mumbai, or if you are planning your holidays, take a look at these MakeMyTrip coupons.

A dream home goes up in piles of dust thanks to the building mafia and corrupt officials

On Thursday 4th April, 2013 a building in Mumbra came crashing down like a pack of cards.  The total death toll from the crash is 75 and counting.  The building's construction was not even complete than how come so many people were living in it in the first place.  Had the authorities acted swiftly in the first place loss of precious human life could have been averted.

To come to Mumbai is a dream every rural Indian has.  It is a city that sleep, walks and drinks in dreams.  There are many rags to riches stories from the city of Mumbai.  Now coming to Mumbai is a dream, the dream of owning a house in Mumbai is the biggest dream and challenge to many a middle class people employed in the public or private sector.  The real estate prices are going through the roof and in between if somebody comes to sell you your dream home at half the market price, you consider that you have won a lottery.

The person offering a home at lower price is a savvy con man who wants to make quick bucks.   He often gets money through illegal means and purchases the land and starts construction of a building  with substandard material.   He has all the relevant officials from the local Municipalty in his pockets.  They just ignore the complaints against him and go slow on the demolition drive.  If worst come to worst, they go to the building stick out a poster that the building is unsafe or unauthorised and come back.  This is also done to pressurize the builder to pay more graft money.    This is quite a unholy nexus which is present in Mumbai especially in deep suburbs of Virar, Nalla Sopara, Thane, Mumbra, Palghar etc.    Here there is no accountancy, the local law authorities can easily be bought out, the public opinion is always disregarded and sometimes they are given a sound beating for speaking against the land mafia.  The innocent buyers are duped into thinking that they are buying a home of their dreams and the place called Mumbai and at the time of buying they just dont believe their luck for getting a abode in Mumbai dirt cheap.  But only God knows there are no shortcuts in life.

But what happens when the same is approved and a 7 storey building is put up with substandard material is for all to see.  The Thursdays collapse of the still under construction building is a testimony that the building mafia and the corrupt officials are capable of playing  with the innocent blood of humans.   It is a known story that all of the authorities, the local political parties and the construction mafia are behind this act.  But can we take action against them.

What will happen to them,  the builders will be arrested and slowly and surely after six to eight months they will get bail.  The official suspended will get a plum posting at some other place and the life will go on as usual.  Only losers are the victims of this crime who will have a permanent scar in their heart and mind of having lost somebody they loved.

Will the Government please act against this unholy nexus and secure our life and money.

To know other happenings around our lovely city please click here.

Vijay Prabhu

Justice delayed is justice denied? Did Sanjay Dutt really deserve the jail sentence!

 

Actor Sanjay Dutt was today sentenced to a five year jail by the Supreme Court of India in a case which has spanned nearly 2 decades.  I wholeheartedly agree with the decision but my question is that can a man be jailed for an offence he has committed 20 years ago and is repenting his crime.  

In 1993, Mumbai was rocked by serial blasts in major junctions and business hubs like Plaza Cinema, Century Bazar, Bombay Stock Exchange, Air India Building,  Passport Office, Zaveri Bazaar etc.  257 people were officially declared dead, nobody knows the unofficial count.  More than 2000 people were injured on that sinister day.  

Sanjay Dutt who was then in his 34 years old and had kept a AK 47 assault rifle and a 9mm pistol illegally with him which he had acquired from the accused of 1993 Mumbai Blasts.  The TADA Court had acquitted him from any involvement in the bomb blasts.  He has already served 18 months in jail from 1993 to 2007.  

Though it has been categorically proved that Sanjay Dutt is guilty of the possession of illegal arms. But the man has been repenting his guilt for past two decades.  The jail term is given in a civilised society to criminals so that they can repent their crimes and turn into a new leaf to return back to civilised society.  Every where in the world the jail is known as correction facility.  This means that the convict is given a chance to correct him or herself and make him/her a better individual.  Once the person is deemed to have corrected himself and is no longer considered a danger to the society he or she is let out of the jail to live a normal life.  The prison term is often awarded based on the seriousness of the crime and it ensures that a  criminal is reformed and becomes a better civilised individual who can behave responsibly in a civil society and is no longer deemed to be harmful to the society as a whole after he/she is released.

In Sanjay Dutt's case the justice has been delivered by the Supreme Court of India all right, but way too late.  The man charged of guilt against the civil society is already repenting it and accepting that he had done something wrong.  So without questioning the wisdom of the Hon Supreme Court, plainly from a humane point of view sending a person to jail for the crime which he is already very shameful about and cursing himself for committing it, the justice came far far late.  If this sentence would have been given to him 15 years ago, may be it would have made sense in making him a better individual.

The views are my personal, please post your comments on the same.

Vijay Prabhu