Citizens’ awareness can help in checking cyber frauds

Nowadays, cybercrime has become a big concern around the globe. As per ‘Crime in India 2020’ report published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 50,035 cases were registered under cybercrimes, showing an increase of 11.8% in registration over 2019 (44,735 cases). During 2020, 60.2% of cyber-crime cases registered were for the motive of fraud (30,142 out of 50,035 cases).

Financial cybercrime is also increasing and one of the main reasons is the lack of awareness among citizens in areas of basic cyber security. People trust social media and blindly trust the search results on Google to find out contact numbers of banks/ merchants/ organisations from illegitimate links wherein fraudsters have already fed their mobile numbers for committing cybercrime.

Mobile numbers of cybercriminals are also active on social media platforms and Google. In case of transaction-related problems, bank customer searches for the contact number of banks using Google, then fraudsters’ mobile numbers also display. When innocent people call on such numbers, fraudsters take card details in a fraudulent manner.

Further, fraudsters share a link with a person on his registered mobile number with a request to click on that link and install the app for providing online support. When the victim installs the app and shares the code, cybercriminals access his mobile phone remotely. This app may be Anydesk or Team Viewer Quick Support which is used to access the device remotely. In addition to phishing, vishing, spoofing and cyberbullying, cybercrimes are also being committed through ransomware attacks and sextortion, which is of great concern.

Banks and state/ UT police, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, are issuing advisories regularly asking customers “not to Click on the Link” received through SMS/ Whatsapp/ email and not to install apps from links. However, due to ignorance or greed, people are being duped by cyber criminals across the country. This is not only the problem of uneducated or less educated persons but even highly educated persons are victimised. Citizens can register cybercrime complaints at National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or helpline number 1930, which is an initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

If you understand these 16 cybercrimes, then you cane easily avert the frauds:

• Beware of SIM Swap Do not share personal/financial information with any unknown person. Scammers can get SIM card in your name with Fake ID proof. Immediately contact your mobile operator if the SIM card is turned off.
• Keep your government ID proof like Aadhaar, PAN, safe. Scammers can use your ID to buy a fake SIM, open a bank account or take a loan in your name.
• Beware of such emails/SMSes which show that you have won a large amount of lottery and do not reply to those.
• Use multi-factor authentication for all social media accounts to avoid the incident of profile hacking.
• Be careful while accepting chatting requests from unknown persons on social media accounts. Your video chat can be recorded and used to blackmail you
• Beware of mobile apps or websites that promise commission and referral bonuses to earn.
• Select the privacy setting on social media so that you can share your identity, photos and videos only with people you
• Do not scan any QR code to receive your payment. Remember, after scanning the QR code, money is debited and not
• Beware of calls that inform you that your card has been blocked or your KYC has expired. Bank officers never send SMS or call regarding KYC update/card block.
• Beware of call forwarding/call merging that can be used by scammers to steal your OTP and hack your social media account.
• Beware of credit/debit card Fraud. Do not share password, card number, CVV, OTP etc with any unknown person.
• In the name of Vaccination Survey, such links are sent to people’s mobiles, by clicking on which your mobile can be run on remote access and necessary information is stolen from
• Apps like Blue Badger are being used for Bluetooth Hacking. Your mobile can be easily accessed through these apps. This often happens in places like restaurants, cafes, parks, because people’s phones usually have Bluetooth on
• On calling Fake Customer Care Number from Google Search, the customer agent asks you to install an app like AnyDesk. Through such an app, the essential information and OTP of your mobile can be easily caught by scammers.
• E-SIM Fraud: Called by scammers to convert your SIM into E-SIM and asked to scan a QR code to activate it. As soon as you scan this code, Fake Links

The main reason behind increasing cybercrime is the lack of awareness among citizens in the area of basic cyber security. Cyber security awareness can play an important role to reduce such frauds. To combat cybercrimes, basic cyber security awareness training should be provided to every citizen.