Rajkot Faces Crores Fraud in 10 Months: 100+ Scams Clear Accounts, Recovery Possible via 1930 Helpline

In Gujarat, there isn’t a single individual who hasn’t experienced a fake call while using a mobile phone! The ever-evolving tactics of cybercriminals can empty your bank account in a matter of moments. Cyber fraudsters, operating through various modes, trick people into providing access to their bank accounts, leading to financial losses. In the city of Rajkot, cybercrime saw 35 reported cases last year, with a significant increase in fraud exceeding 180 million rupees. If you become a victim, immediately report it to the Cyber Crime Helpline.

Surge in Financial Fraud Cases

Vishal Rabari, ACP of Rajkot Cyber Crime, revealed in an interview with Divya Bhaskar that the city witnesses 70 to 80 cybercrime complaints daily. Financial fraud cases have seen a significant rise, causing people to lose lakhs of rupees. Cybercriminals are now adopting new techniques, especially in investment-related frauds, luring individuals with promises of high returns. The stock market and various investment schemes become tools for these criminals to carry out their activities.

Mafias Exploiting Likes and Comments

It has been noted that in the era of social media, there’s a growing trend of cybercriminals exploiting the desire for more likes and comments. The engagement on social media platforms has become a breeding ground for cyber mafias. People fall victim to fraudulent activities, including the creation of fake accounts, morphing photos, making obscene comments, and engaging in blackmail. The lure of easy money has led to various cybercrimes, especially related to investment schemes and tasks in the share market.

Helpline Numbers – Reporting for Help

The mafias have acknowledged that gaining more likes and comments on social media is advantageous for them. More likes, shares, and comments are used as a pretext for committing cybercrimes, leading to financial frauds amounting to lakhs of rupees. Creating fake accounts, morphing photos, making obscene comments, and engaging in blackmail are common occurrences. Instant loan scams, where individuals are enticed to invest money without proper documentation, have also become prevalent. To report such incidents, the Cyber Crime Helpline number is essential. The National Portal’s helpline number, 1930, serves as a crucial tool in taking immediate action against financial fraud. If you fall victim to fraud, calling this number can help freeze the accounts involved and aid in recovering the lost amount. Timely reporting is crucial, as culprits often transfer the funds to other accounts, making recovery challenging. For long-standing fraud cases, approaching the police station or the Cyber Crime Police Station is recommended for filing a complaint and recovering the lost amount.

Unmasking Cyber Criminals – Police in Pursuit

ACP Vishal Rabari revealed that the police are actively investigating cyber criminals operating in various states, including Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, and West Bengal. The focus is on tracking cybercrime and financial frauds by apprehending suspects who use fake identity cards and PAN cards to open bank accounts for conducting cybercrimes. Additionally, online bank accounts dedicated solely to cybercrimes are being monitored, and their creation is limited to a timeframe of only two to three days.

Consequences of Cyber Mafia with Fake Cards

The majority of cyber criminals are being pursued by the police in states outside their base and particularly in remote areas. Criminals use fake SIM cards, bogus bank accounts, counterfeit Aadhar cards, and fraudulent PAN cards in these states, often avoiding local police support. As a result, cybercrime suspects are less frequently caught, leading to lower recovery rates. In Rajkot alone, there were 3,500 complaints of fraud in the past year, with recoveries totaling 14.5 crores, while in the last 10 months, fraud cases exceeding 18 crores have been reported, with less than 2 crores recovered.

Fraud of 54,000 with a Fake KYC

Rajkot resident Amit Agarwal shared an incident where he fell victim to a fraud amounting to 54,000 rupees. He received a call at his office, notifying him that his SIM card’s KYC was incomplete. Following the call, he was asked to download an application, which led to his phone being hacked. Subsequently, an OTP was received, and 54,000 rupees were debited from his bank account. Agarwal reported the incident to the cybercrime police, who promptly assisted in recovering the entire amount. The incident highlights the increasing need for public awareness and vigilance against cybercrimes.

Who is Labeled as a Cyber Criminal?

Any individual intending to cause harm to others using electronic devices, computers, networks, or any other electronic means is labeled as a cyber criminal. Cybercrimes encompass various offenses, including temptation, extortion, threats, financial fraud, password theft, or any form of digital data theft. With the rise of social harassment and financial fraud, tackling and preventing cybercrimes have become crucial in recent times, requiring increased awareness and proactive measures from the public.