Last year in April, PLOS One journal published the first World Cybercrime Index of its kind. On this list, India ranked 10th in cybercrime “threat levels”.
This ranking should not be surprising considering that according to the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, Indians lost over `1,750 crore to cybercriminals between January and April 2024. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre had also stated in May last year that, on average, 7,000 complaints of cybercrime are reported in the country every single day.
With scams like “digital arrests” also increasing, people are at increased risk of falling victim to fraudsters. A couple days ago, social media influencer Ankush Bahuguna opened up about being “digitally held hostage” for close to 40 hours.
Enlisting his ordeal, Bahuguna said in an Instagram video that he received a call from an unknown international number and a “customer support representative” on the other end alleged that an illegal package of his had been seized and an arrest warrant had been issued in his name. The Instagram creator added that he not just lost money, but had to undergo a lot of psychological trauma due to the incident.
However, there are ways you can protect yourself from cybercrimes.
What to do
Follow basic digital hygiene: Verify any suspicious calls from unknown/unofficial numbers, do not click on links received in dubious emails and check the language, email address in these, and remember that law enforcement agencies do not use social media apps for any official communication.
Report instances of fraud or scams: If you receive any suspicious calls, you can call 1930 – toll-free number for the National Cybercrime Helpline – to lodge a report or do so on cybercrime.gov.in. You can log onto the Sanchar Saathi portal (https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/) to report “suspected fraud communication.”
Gather evidence: If you receive an unwarranted call or email that seems to be fake or from a phishing account, document it all to share with authorities when you’re filing the complaint.
What not to do
Do not make any monetary transactions: In most cases of alleged digital arrest reported so far, the perpetrators have asked the victim to transfer large sums of money to their bank accounts to protect themselves/their family members. If you ever find yourself in such a situation, avoid making any monetary transactions as law enforcement agencies won’t ask you to pay up to avoid arrest.
Do not divulge any personal information: Important credentials like your passwords, bank account details, etc, should never be shared with others, especially if you can’t verify the credentials of the person you’re sharing them with.
Do not panic: Easier said than done, but keeping your calm and not panicking is important if you are at the receiving end of a scam.
Fraudsters often employ pressure tactics to throw you off guard, but rely on your presence of mind to get out of the situation.
However, most of all, the key is to stay aware and informed.
With cybercrimes becoming more and more common with each passing day, the digital citizen has to stay up-to-date with news on this to protect themselves.
Common scams that have been reported in the recent past include digital arrests, scammers alleging that a package of yours contains “illegal” things and has been stopped by customs authority, impersonation of family members in an “emergency situation” asking for financial help, fraudsters asking callers to share sensitive information under the garb of updating their KYC, etc.
If, by any unfortunate circumstances, you do find yourself having been a victim of cybercrimes like digital arrest, file a complaint, take your bank into confidence, freeze your bank account, and reach out to a lawyer for help, if need be.