Important Tips To Save Yourself From Cybercrime And Online Fraud

Cybercrime in India has seen a significant rise in the past five years as the citizens lost more than Rs22,845 crore to criminals in 2024, which is nearly 206% from the previous year, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Tuesday (July 22). This steep increase calls for cybercrime and fraud awareness to stay safe in the online world.

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What is Cybercrime?

A criminal activity that either targets or uses a computer, a computer network or a networked device is called cybercrime. Cybercriminals or hackers commit such crimes mostly to make money.

Tips to save yourself from cybercrime

The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal has outlined cyber safe practices which may help in making our online experience productive.

Password Protection

The users are advised to use strong passwords with a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. The passwords should be created with at least 12-16 characters.

Also, it is said that people must avoid password reuse and create unique passwords for each account to prevent unauthorised access. The users can consider using a password manager to generate and store passwords securely.

Operating System

Kaspersky, a cybersecurity company, noted on its website that users should keep software and operating systems up to date, which will ensure that they benefit from the latest security patches to protect their computer.

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Two-Factor Authentication

The users can also enable two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification, such as a code sent to your phone or a biometric scan. Also prefer authentication apps over SMS-based 2FA for added security.

Online World

The users must be cautious with emails and links from unknown senders and verify the sender's identity before clicking on links or downloading attachments.

Don't use public Wi-Fi for sensitive activities like online banking or shopping. The users can also use a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt their internet traffic.

Always ensure that websites have HTTPS and a padlock symbol in the address bar, which indicates that it is a secure connection.

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Data Backup and Monitoring

The users are advised to back up important files and data to an external drive or cloud storage. Regularly check bank and credit card statements for unauthorised transactions and enable transaction alerts for unusual activities.

Device Security

Keep your operating system, apps and security software updated to patch vulnerabilities. Install reputable antivirus software and keep it updated. The users can also enable firewall protection to monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic.

Cybercrime in India

According to Bandi Sanjay Kumar, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS) stated that 36,37,288 incidents of financial fraud committed by cyber criminals were reported on NCRP and CFCFRMS in 2024 as compared to 24,42,978 such incidents in the previous year.

The minister said that 10,29,026 cyber crimes were reported on NCRP in 2022, with a 127.44% increase over the previous year. Meanwhile, 15,96,493 incidents were reported in 2023, showing a 55.15% rise. And 22,68,346 cases were reported in 2024, reflecting a 42.08% increase.

The minister also informed that so far, more than 9.42 lakh SIM cards and 2,63,348 IMEIs, as reported by police authorities, have been blocked by the Centre.

The minister said as per CFCFRMS, a financial amount of more than Rs5,489 crore has been saved in more than 17.82 lakh complaints reported on it so far.

"Cyber crime incidents reported on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, their conversion into FIRs and subsequent action, ie, filing of chargesheets, arrests and resolution of complaints, thereon are handled by the state/UT law enforcement agencies concerned as per the provisions of the law," Kumar said.