The Mumbai Police Cyber Crime Department has launched a city-wide awareness campaign to combat rising cyber fraud, after scams worth over ₹650 crore were reported in the last six months. Police say nearly 90% of the victims are senior citizens.
In a recent case, a South Mumbai woman lost ₹26 crore after conmen, posing as CBI and police officials, threatened her with “digital arrest” and forced her to transfer funds. Investigations revealed the accused used a Cambodia-based VPN to send messages. Police said the woman even refused officers entry into her home when they arrived.
Fraudsters, according to cyber police, often avoid regular calls and use only WhatsApp calls to evade tracking. Some also approach victims under the guise of property inquiries before duping them.
Authorities have urged citizens to file complaints immediately, warning that delayed reporting reduces the chances of recovering stolen funds. The Cyber Cell will now hold awareness sessions in companies, housing societies, schools, colleges and Ganesh mandals, educating people about scam techniques, fake identities, WhatsApp frauds and data safety.
Police have stressed that no agency, including the CBI, carries out “digital arrests” and citizens should ignore such calls or messages, avoid clicking on unknown links and never share personal or banking details.
Cyber police maintain that public vigilance is key to reducing online crime and that safe technology use is vital for both personal and community security.