While Valentine’s Week fills social media with roses and heart emojis, Punjab Police has taken a different approach — turning the celebration into a cyber safety awareness campaign.
Using the themes of Rose Day, Chocolate Day, Teddy Day and Propose Day, the police department has issued witty yet firm reminders about online scams and digital fraud.
On Rose Day, the official ‘X’ handle urged users: “Let kindness bloom like a rose, don’t let fake news prick others.” Chocolate Day carried a sharper message: “Share chocolates, not OTPs or personal data. Some offers look tempting like chocolate — verify before you click.”
Teddy Day warned citizens that not every “cute-looking profile” is genuine, while Propose Day encouraged people to pause before trusting strangers online.
Alarming cybercrime surge
The campaign comes against the backdrop of a steep rise in cybercrime cases across Punjab. The State cybercrime helpline received over 35,000 complaints in 2024 — an 82 per cent increase from the previous year. Reported financial losses crossed ₹476 crore.
Ludhiana alone witnessed losses of nearly ₹70 crore in online investment scams. Police also cracked a ₹92-crore nationwide “digital arrest” fraud, where scammers impersonated officials to extort money.
In Phagwara, authorities arrested 38 suspected cyber fraudsters allegedly using fake apps for financial theft and blackmail. Separate operations targeting online child exploitation led to the identification of 33 suspects and seizure of 34 digital devices.
Strengthening cyber policing
Punjab Police has set up 28 dedicated cybercrime police stations, blocked thousands of malicious URLs and registered hundreds of FIRs to counter the growing digital threat.
Officials have also warned about social media misuse by criminal and extremist elements attempting to influence or recruit youth, as well as sophisticated cross-border honey-trap tactics.
The Valentine’s Week campaign carries a simple message: celebrate love, but stay vigilant. Because in the digital world, trust must be verified — not assumed.