The cyber economic and narcotics (CEN) crime police station in Mangaluru city has seen a surge in cyberfraud cases this year, with approximately 250 cases reported by June, resulting in a collective loss of around Rs 18 crore to fraudsters. Inspector Sathisha MP from the CEN police station highlighted that online stock trading scams are prevalent among the reported cases, with one victim alone losing Rs 5 crore, currently under investigation by CID Bengaluru.
Various types of cybercrimes have affected residents, including digital arrest scams, gift scams targeting senior citizens, and part-time job scams. These incidents have resulted in losses ranging from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 crore per case.
The CEN police station has received an average of 200 calls per month on the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930, with June recording 189 calls related to cybercrimes in Mangaluru alone. Notably, the police have successfully recovered Rs 1.2 crore this year, emphasizing the importance of timely reporting.
Inspector Sathisha underscored the need for increased awareness, especially among senior citizens vulnerable to KYC scams and gift scams. He stressed the role of education in preventing cyberfraud, particularly targeting educated individuals from the upper-middle class in stock market scams.
City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal has initiated informational videos on new criminal laws, which have been well-received for their effectiveness in raising awareness. Future awareness campaigns will continue to address the growing threat of cybercrime.