Cyber cell saves Rs 11.19 crore after receiving call on helpline number 1930

Mumbai Police`s cyber cell on Thursday said that it was successful in saving Rs 11.19 crore after receiving a call on its helpline number 1930.

According to the cyber cell, on April 3 at around 1:30 pm, a complainant from Powai area in Mumbai, contacted the 1930 cyber helpline of Mumbai Police and reported that an unknown individual had hacked the email ID linked to a company’s bank account.

“The fraudster sent an email to a bank in the company’s name, misleading the bank into processing transactions worth Rs 11,34,85,258 into two different accounts under the false pretense of business operations, thereby committing cyber fraud,” an official said.

The cyber cell said that upon detecting the fraud, the complainant immediately reported the matter to the cyber helpline and responding swiftly, Police Inspector Nivrutti Bawaskar, API Nagral, PSI Rawool and PSI Kakad began to investigate the matter.

“The team of officials registered the complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP) portal and coordinated with bank officials. Their timely action led to the successful freezing of Rs 11.19 crore transferred into the fraudulent accounts and thereby preventing further financial loss,” the official said.

Meanwhile, last month, Mumbai Police had issued an advisory for citizens and had urged to avoid being trapped by cyber fraudsters on social media platforms.

The police had shared the following guidelines to be safe from online frauds-

– Do not download share trading apps through any APK files and ensure to verify the authenticity of websites or webpages before engaging in trading.

– Verify share trading advertisements on platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Telegram, and exercise caution before making any investments.

– Verify any payment requests received via WhatsApp. Ensure the legitimacy of requests for money, payments, or sensitive information, and only proceed after proper verification (such as calling the known number or confirming via email).

The police said that to avoid WhatsApp impersonation fraud, citizens should take the following precautions:

-Do not trust unexpected messages requesting money transfers on WhatsApp. If such messages are received from known or trusted individuals, do not take any further action without proper verification.

– Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Go to WhatsApp settings and activate 2FA. This will help block unauthorised access by unknown individuals.

“It is requested to citizens who fall victim to cyber fraud to immediately contact the 1930 cyber helpline timely so that their defrauded amount can be saved,” an official had earlier said.