Mumbai Police save Rs 1.49 crore from cyber frauds in past 24 hours

Mumbai Police on Saturday said that its cyber crime cell was successful in saving Rs 1.49 crore from being swindled in cyber crimes within just 24 hours of being reported to the official helpline number, 1930.

According to the police, on March 21, various complaints were received through the 1930 helpline, primarily involving investment frauds, share trading scams, fake online shopping, and WhatsApp impersonation frauds. 

The police said that within 24 hours, the police were able to freeze the fraudulent amount of Rs 1,49,87,376 across multiple bank accounts.

The quick action by police officials from Mumbai cyber crime cell, including Police Inspector Mangesh Bhor, Sub-Inspector Abhijeet Raut, and others, helped coordinate with concerned banks and authorities to prevent the funds from being transferred to fraudsters. The efforts were supervised by senior police officers.

A police official said that Mumbai Police urge citizens to contact the helpline — 1930 immediately if they become victims of cyber crimes to recover lost funds.

In an advisory for the citizens, the police said that the public should be cautious and avoid falling victim to share trading and other investment frauds which are currently on the rise. 

The police said that the citizens are encouraged not to download trading apps from suspicious sources, verify websites before investing, and be careful when responding to offers promising huge profits on social media platforms.

Mumbai Police has urged citizens to avoid being trapped by cyber fraudsters on social media platforms.

The police also 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 said.