Haryana Cybercrime: Police has registered 676 in 2020 and 670 in 2021. (Representational)
Haryana Police has blocked nearly Rs 7 crore from being transferred to the accounts of cyber criminals between January and June this year while acting on the complaints of the public, a senior official said on Saturday.
Haryana has witnessed a surge in complaints of cybercrime in recent years and during first six months of the current year 1,010 cases have been registered as against a total of 366 in 2019.
According to O P Singh, Additional Director General of Police, State Crime Branch, "on the basis of complaints of cybercrime reported on cybercrime helpline 1930, between January 1 to June 2022, state police has blocked Rs 6.8 crore from being transferred to 'cyberthugs' account and returned it to the victims".
O P Singh said at present, over a 1,000 police officials are grappling with cyber-criminals at 309 cyber desks and 29 police stations. "These units receive complaints directly as well as through cybercrime helpline number 1930," he told PTI.
"Police has registered 366 cases in 2019, 676 in 2020, 670 in 2021 and 1010 in first six month of 2022," a spokesman of the State Crime Branch, the nodal agency for cybercrime in Haryana, said.
O P Singh said with a surge in complaints of cybercrime over the years, the police is responding with training its manpower in cybercrime investigation and setting up a cyber desk in every police station and a cyber police station at every district and Range headquarters. He said State Crime Branch is working on a comprehensive cybersecurity awareness programme called 'Cyber Safe India' with an aim to make people aware about cybersecurity.
The programme also aims to create awareness among students about job opportunities in cybersecurity.
"It will periodically hold online multiple-choice tests and recognise those in high percentile as Cyber-veers. It will offer them internship in cybersecurity in cyber police stations and cyber forensics lab in the state.” "It will also give cyber-veers opportunities to take part in cybersecurity awareness programs as resource persons and award them certificates and honorarium for the contribution," said O P Singh.
The senior police officer said the programme will particularly focus on the Head Boys and Girls of schools across the state. "The aim is to harness their influence, outreach and leadership skills to spread awareness about cybersecurity and job opportunities available in the field," he said.
Meanwhile, the spokesman said with the juggernaut of digitisation on the roll and more and more of everyday life going online, also on the rise is hacking of data, network and system by outlaws out to clean up bank accounts and victimise vulnerable people. "Most vulnerable to hacking is human mind. Most common modus operandi is social engineering - duping people through glib talk and variety of other means to make them part with their unique identification number and sensitive data.
"One can be safe by being a informed user, practising cyber hygiene and treading cyberspace with a mindset of healthy scepticism - don't click when in doubt, don't share identification number when not sure and call cybercrime helpline number 1930 immediately if victimised," he said.