No single golden hour

Raj Patil

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

In the world of cybercrime, the concept of the "golden hour" isn't confined to just one hour.

According to cybercrime officials, the effective window to act and possibly recover stolen funds extends from 15 to 17 hours after the fraud is committed. Yet, most victims miss this opportunity due to lack of awareness and delayed action. "Golden hour is misunderstood. It’s not one hour, but golden hours nearly 15 to 17 crucial hours also delayed most times," clarified police inspector Shivcharan Pandhare, urging citizens to file complaints immediately. "The faster the complaint, the higher the chances of freezing the fraudulent transaction," he added. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, cyber fraudsters are constantly upgrading their methods. One trending tactic involves embedding malicious links within seemingly harmless images sent via WhatsApp. Due to auto-download settings, these files infiltrate phones without the user's awareness, often leading to compromised bank accounts.

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Evolving tactics, invisible threats

PI Pandhare advises a simple but vital precaution: "Use a secondary phone that is not linked to your banking apps. This reduces vulnerability and buys you time."

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Quick responders and slow movers

Once a fraud is reported, the cyber police instantly send freeze requests to the relevant banks via their official portal. But not all banks act with the same urgency. "While banks like Indian Bank respond promptly, some others, particularly private banks delay freezing the account due to internal compliance procedures," an cyber officer shared.

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Rs 1 cr recovered, but frauds surging

Between the Cyber Police Stations in the city and rural areas, over Rs 1 crore has been recovered so far this year. As per cyber officer Ram Patode, "The city police alone recovered Rs 61 lakh, while rural teams secured around Rs 60 lakh." However, this recovery contrasts sharply with the rising tide of cyber fraud. In the past three months alone, the city has reported frauds amounting to Rs 160.2 crore. With only a fraction recovered, the battle against cybercrime remains steep.

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A growing concern

Another disturbing trend is cyber blackmail. Once criminals access personal data or images, they begin extorting victims, sometimes for as little as Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000. Many individuals pay quietly out of shame or fear. "Don’t pay. Come to us," urges the cyber police. "Filing a complaint is the first step to stopping the chain."

(PART 2 included)