Atul Sharma
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 4: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have issued a fresh advisory alerting citizens to a rising trend of cybercriminals specifically targeting elderly persons through fraudulent calls, messages, fake investment offers, and online scams, urging families to play an active role in protecting their senior members.
Under the campaign titled “Help Elders, Help the Community,” the police have appealed to citizens to take out time to educate elderly family members on how to identify suspicious calls, messages, and online activity that could be attempts at fraud.
The advisory specifically flagged the growing menace of “Digital Arrest” scams and online investment frauds, both of which have emerged as major tools used by cybercriminals to target elderly citizens, who are often less familiar with digital platforms and more susceptible to intimidation tactics used by fraudsters posing as law enforcement or government officials.
Police have advised families to caution elders against attending unknown or unsolicited video calls, which are frequently used by scamsters to create a false sense of urgency or authority in order to extract money or personal information.
Citizens have also been urged to maintain open communication with elderly family members, encouraging them to report any suspicious online activity or unfamiliar financial demands to the family immediately, rather than responding on their own.
In cases where a person falls victim to cyber fraud, the police have advised immediate reporting through the national cybercrime helpline number 1930, or by filing a complaint on the official portal www.cybercrime.gov.in.
The advisory comes amid a broader push by law enforcement agencies across the country to curb the rising incidents of cyber fraud targeting vulnerable and elderly populations, who remain among the most frequently exploited groups by organised cybercriminal networks operating both within India and abroad. |