Police launch awareness on cybercrime

Visakhapatnam: The city police launched cybercrime awareness programme ‘JAGRUK’ which was conducted with the collaboration of Home Credit India. The programme seeks to assist the police force in reducing financial frauds in the country by sharing best practices with police personnel investigating complex cases pertaining to financial frauds and cybercrime.

Speaking on the occasion Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crimes) AR Damodhar said that as the use of smart technologies is on the rise, the cybercriminals also adopting new techniques in trapping the innocent public. In recent times, K Sudhakar, a victim reported that he received a call from HDFC credit card customer care division and informed him to pay of Rs 1,58,717 as credit card bill.

The complainant astonished and replied that he did not have any credit card, in turn the HDFC bank executive said a credit card vide no 3507 was there on his name. After speaking to the bank officials, he came to know that an unknown imposter has taken the credit card on his name by using his documents with forged signatures and fake identity proofs.

In another case, a woman, who is looking for second marriage, received proposal from one Ansh Khurana, who claimed himself that he was an interior designer living in New York. Later, Ansh Khurana made a phone call to the woman and claimed that he landed at the Delhi Airport but was detained by the customs officials on the charge that he was having huge US currency and valuable gifts.

Believing Ansh Khurana’s words that he needed some money for release from the customs to clear the custom duties, the woman deposited Rs 24,29,000 in different bank accounts provided by the fraudster.

In another incident, a woman from Visakhapatnam city, looking for second marriage was duped by a fraudster to the tune of Rs 40 lakh. He also added that they received at least two cases in every three months and some victims hesitate to lodge police complaints. “We are appealing the netizens to meet in person and don't believe the words on the internet”, he added.

Manish Kaushik, Head of Security, Home Credit India, said that the programme Jagruk holds knowledge sharing sessions with police personnel at different levels on challenges, issues, and measures relating to prevention of cybercrime, cyberbullying and financial frauds.