Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
With the increasing use of mobile phones, there has been a significant rise in cybercrimes. Reports show that more than 5,000 citizens in the city and district have fallen victim to online fraud, losing crores of rupees in the past year.
In the last decade, with the widespread use of smartphones, internet access has become easy, and information from around the world is available at the touch of a button. However, alongside these benefits, there have also been increased risks. The number of cybercrimes has grown rapidly, outpacing traditional crimes like burglaries, robberies, and dacoities. Many people, lacking cyber literacy, have fallen into the traps of cybercriminals. Scams involving Telegram, credit cards, stock markets, cryptocurrency, and work-from-home opportunities have been the most prevalent.
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Cybercrime cases up 40% from last year
In 2023, 3,868 citizens became victims of online fraud. Of these, 1,932 complaints were resolved by the police. However, nearly 4,400 citizens have still fallen prey to scams.
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Promises of money; but...
After falling victim to fraud, complainants now have to file complaints on the NCCR portal. This process requires both the complainant and the police to go through lengthy judicial procedures to recover the money.
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Fraud cases over the years
2021: 1,308 cases
2022: 2,852 cases
2023: 3,868 cases
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District Police recovered Rs 2 crore
While the rate of online fraud is lower in rural areas compared to the city, the district's cyber police station registered 123 cases in 2024. Additionally, 1,611 complaints were filed through the portal. The police were able to recover Rs 1.48 crore from these cases.
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Citizens must stay alert
The number of cybercrimes is increasing day by day. Criminals are trapping people through new tricks, blackmail, and deceit. We are continuously working to recover the lost money, but citizens must also stay vigilant while using mobile phones and the internet.----( Satyajit Taitwale, PI District Cyber Police)