Majority of cybercrime victims in Hyderabad are private employees, businessmen!

Under Hyderabad Police Commissionerate limits, the incidence of cybercrimes increased by 24% this year; cops say cyber security is no longer just a policing duty now, but a collective responsibility

Hyderabad: The menace of cybercrime is spreading fast and dangerously. The rapid rise in cyber fraudsters ensnaring vulnerable victims with carrot, offering easy money or huge returns on investments, or a stick, posing as enforcement personnel and threatening arrests, has set alarm bells ringing.

Under the Hyderabad Police Commissionerate limits, the incidence of cybercrimes increased by 24 per cent this year. The City Police say cyber security was no longer just a policing duty now, but a collective responsibility.

---

This year, ‘Investment fraud’ and ‘Digital arrest fraud‘ have made it to the headlines often, with victims, including youngsters, government officials, retired employees, being cheated by cyber crooks. As per reports, nearly 1 lakh cybercrime cases were registered across the country with people reportedly losing a whopping Rs 1,500 crore money to various types of frauds. Money was mostly lost in investment fraud, impersonation, identify theft, loan fraud and advertisement frauds.

While Cyberabad Police limits stood first in registering cybercrime cases, it was followed by Hyderabad and Rachakonda Police. Cybercrime officials said most of the victims were men. Among job profiles, private employees stood first, followed by business persons or self-employed individuals, home makers, students, government employees and farmers.

In one instance, a doctor was duped to the tune of Rs 11.10 crore on pretext of Forex trading. The victim received a call from fraudsters asking to invest in US Dollar trading. In another case, a woman and her two daughters were duped to the tune of Rs 5.60 crore by fraudsters in a ‘Digital Arrest’ fraud claiming to be officials from CBI and NCB.

In Cyberabad limits, a software engineer was cheated by fraudsters from Maharashtra to the tune of Rs 2.29 crore in the guise of investments in stocks promising high returns. Hyderabad Cybercrime DCP D Kavita said, “The fraudsters exploit minimal personal details, such as an Aadhaar number or a phone number, to obtain sensitive information about the victim’s financial accounts. Posing as high-ranking police officials, they manipulate and intimidate the victims into compliance, often threatening them with arrest.”

There is utmost urgent need to focus on cybersecurity issues and underscore the role of digital citizens in creating a resilient cyber landscape, said another senior cybercrime official expressing concerns over the rise in ‘digital arrest’ frauds. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad Police returned a total of Rs 37 crore to the victims of cyber fraud until November this year.