Crimes committed online are on an upward trend, but many victims are reluctant to approach the police. The majority of those who report cyber fraud to the police are the ones who have lost substantial amounts of money, while several other cases go unreported.
In addition to a lack of awareness, police officials also point out that efforts to educate people about cyber fraud are helping people in cities, whereas victims in rural areas are still unaware or hesitant to report cases.
Senior cybercrime officials say most people duped on social media and online shopping platforms don’t seek legal help. Until a significant amount is siphoned off from their bank accounts, they do not take fraud seriously.
Often, people do not approach us due to illiteracy, lack of awareness about cyber fraud, or stigma associated with approaching the police. Some people avoid the police when they think it is hard to get back stolen money or if the damage is small, a senior official said, blaming the rise in cybercrime incidents on the widespread use of mobile phones and gadgets.
While a provision store, a vegetable and meat market, or a dairy parlor is nearby, we are used to placing our orders online instead of going there. Whether it’s the biggest purchase or the smallest, we’re increasingly reliant on online transactions. One of the major reasons for cybercrime is because of this, an official said.
As online transactions became more prevalent, fraudsters developed new ways to deceive people. Citizen advice is to avoid talking to people who claim to be executives of banks, software companies, vehicle loans, house loans, or loan app firms.
When a call is unwanted, it is better to disconnect it. It is recommended to contact the local cyber crime police if you fall victim to that trap, or to report it to the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, the official said.
According to another senior official from the cybercrime wing, fraudsters still target people from rural areas with tricks such as lottery fraud and Aadhar updates. Older people, women, and the uneducated were most likely to be victims.
(This story has been sourced from a third-party syndicated feed, agencies. Raavi Media accepts no responsibility or liability for the text’s dependability, trustworthiness, reliability, and data. Raavi Media management/ythisnews.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content at its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.)
