Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 28: As cybercrimes grow more sophisticated, the Union Government has intensified efforts to combat digital arrest scams and other online frauds. Through innovative measures like the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and initiatives such as the Samanvaya Platform and Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre, authorities have saved Rs 3,431 crore from 9.94 lakh complaints and blocked 6.69 lakh fraudulent SIM cards. With resources like the toll-free helpline ‘1930’ and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, citizens are empowered to report cybercrimes swiftly. Public awareness campaigns and inter-agency coordination further strengthen the nation’s defenses against these threats.
“The ‘Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System’, under I4C, was launched in the year 2021 for immediate reporting of financial frauds and to stop siphoning off funds by fraudsters. So far, a financial amount of more than Rs. 3431 crores has been saved in more than 9.94 lakh complaints”, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Minister of State of Home Affairs told the Rajya Sabha.
“A toll-free Helpline number ‘1930’ has been operationalized to get assistance in lodging online cyber complaints”, the Minister said.
The Minister said that digital arrest scams, where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement agencies like police, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), have become a pressing concern.
These scams often involve threats of arrest or legal action, coercing victims into making payments or sharing sensitive information.
These scams, which exploit technology to impersonate authorities and defraud unsusp Through innovative measures authorities have saved Rs 3,431 crore from 9.94 lakh complaints and blocked 6.69 lakh fraudulent SIM cards.
With resources like the toll-free helpline ‘1930’ and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, citizens are empowered to report cybercrimes swiftly.
Public awareness campaigns and inter-agency coordination further strengthen the nation’s defenses against these threats.
The ‘Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System was launched in the year 2021 for immediate reporting of financial frauds.
The Minister said that under the Constitution of India, ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ fall under the jurisdiction of the States and Union Territories (UTs). This makes them primarily responsible for addressing cybercrimes, including prevention, investigation, and prosecution.
However, recognizing the borderless nature of cybercrime, the Central Government has taken a proactive role in supplementing state efforts. Through advisory support, financial assistance, and cutting-edge technological initiatives, the Centre has strengthened the national response to these crimes.
Sharing details of the steps taken by the government to check digital arrest cases, the Minister said that the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) was established in this regard.
The I4C, established by the Ministry of Home Affairs, serves as a central coordination agency to address all forms of cybercrime. This state-of-the-art center ensures a comprehensive and coordinated approach, facilitating swift action against scams such as digital arrests, impersonation, and financial fraud.
“One of the key tactics used in digital arrest scams involves spoofed international calls that mimic domestic numbers. To counter this, the government, in collaboration with Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), has developed mechanisms to detect and block such calls”, the Minister said, adding, “This step has disrupted the modus operandi of cybercriminals who rely on these calls to impersonate officials”. |
