Cyber crime spreading like plague across city: 217 complaints received in 6 months

In this digital age, everything from shopping for groceries to finding a suitable man/woman to marry has become cybernated. However, one of the backlash of the cyber world are the number of crimes that are related with it. From a young boy to an elderly woman, everyone is being prey to cyber crimes.

From financial theft to identity theft, from threats to blackmailing, the virtual world can expose the most personal of your information to the world. Cyber crime has attacked the city like an apocalypse with more than 217 complaints registered with the Cyber Crime Cell in the last 6 months.

The DCP Crime, Jaydeepsinh Jadeja, shared how these criminals pose as bankers and extract personal details, hack emails, carry out frauds related to credit and debit cards, etc. In one of the cases, KEC Company’s email address was hacked and a total of Rs. 38.37 lakh was embezzled. Similarly, a debit card was hacked and Rs. 3 lakh was ripped off from the holder of the card.

The cyber crime cell successfully tracked down the cyber-goons and returned the embezzled money to these 217 people, which totaled to an amount of Rs. 59,21,996.

The Cyber Crime Cell of Vadodara advice the citizens to stay alert even while carrying out regular activities as criminals can pose as anyone. More so, they have also provided suggestions to save the citizens from falling in to the ploys of these cyber-thugs-

1. If you get a call from a bank asking for your bank details, refrain from sharing it over call and firmly request to meet in person at the bank.
2. Do not believe a Facebook friend who says they’ve sent a gift from abroad, and been caught at the customs and need money to retrieve it.
3. OLX, Facebook, Instagram – such social media is full of cyber-goons waiting to trap innocents.
4. Avoid sending or receiving ID proofs via social media. Most times the ID Proofs that you receive are fake.
5. In case someone is standing with you at an ATM Booth during an ATM transaction, you should refrain from carrying out the transaction. In case you notice something doubtful, immediately inform the police.
6. Abstain from opening web links sent to you from unknown people.
7. If someone is offering you an online job, do not fall into the trap of filling up forms and sending them money to get the job.
8. You are being ambushed if you transact money for lottery or gifts online, on calls or SMS.
9. The cyber-criminals are present even on websites for marriages, and will trick you into sending them money.