CBI arms citizens with 'ABHAY' helpbot to verify 'notices' used by cyber fraudsters

New Delhi, May 15 Offering help to potential targets of cyber fraudsters, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched ABHAY -- an AI-based helpbot for real-time verification of official notices -- so that criminals cannot threaten them using fake documents, an official said on Friday.

The first-of-its-kind verification system has been designed to protect citizens from the growing menace of cyber fraud and digital arrest scams, the official added.

"As the citizens often face difficulty in determining the authenticity of an official notice, the CBI has developed 'AI-Based Helpbot for Authentication of Your Notice' (ABHAY) -- placing the power of verification directly in the hands of every citizen," the official said in a statement.

"Cyber-enabled fraud has emerged as a serious challenge confronting India's criminal justice system. The rapid advancement of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and deepfakes have made it increasingly difficult for ordinary citizens to distinguish between what is real and what is fabricated," the statement said.

"Citizens can now access ABHAY at any time through CBI's official website www.cbi.gov.in. The verification process is simple. The person receiving a notice in the name of CBI must visit CBI's official website. Then, click on the ABHAY logo on the main webpage," the statement added.

"The user must do an OTP verification process using his/her mobile number and then upload a scanned copy of the notice received. The chatbot ABHAY will give information about authenticity of the notice declaring it either as genuine or potentially fraudulent," it said.

The statement added that the cyber fraud of 'Digital Arrest' operates by creating intense fear in the mind of the victim.

The modus operandi begins with a fraudulent notice that appears to be issued by a legitimate law enforcement agency. The notice falsely accuses the victim of involvement in criminal activity.

"Once the victim is deceived into compliance, fraudsters initiate a sham legal process, keeping the victim under surveillance for days under the guise of a 'digital arrest' -- a concept that has no legal existence in Indian law," the statement said.

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