This story is from September 22, 2018

Cybercrime rose 50% after demonetization

Cybercrime rose 50% after demonetization
AHMEDABAD: A meteoric rise in the number of cases registered for cyber offences has prompted city crime branch to propose that its cyber cell be given police station status. The cyber cell presently functions under the police station dairy of city crime branch.
Crime branch DCP Deepan Bhadran said the proposal is being considered and could be approved very soon. Sources in the cyber cell said a steep rise in cyber offences has been witnessed for the last three year, with 60% of offences pertaining to digital fraud and cheating.
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Cyber cell officials said the cell, operational since 2009, used to receive about 1,500 applications of complaint every year.
In 2016, this number shot up to about 3,000, with the majority of applications coming after demonetization in November 2016, as there was a flood of digital transactions.
“2017 was even worse, as we received about 4,000 applications in the year. Now, with higher awareness levels among people using digitally transactions — through net banking, credit cards or debit cards — this figure is coming down. Our estimates show that only about 5% of calls made by fraudsters now result in fraud,” said cyber cell DCP Rajdeepsinh Jhala.
Jhala added that in the last fortnight, they arrested two large Delhi-based gangs which had cheated people in 25 states.

“Among the four persons arrested in early September were women, who would call people from the ‘con call centre’ in Delhi and cheat them using an insurance policy ruse. They would get people to pay additional charges such in the name of GST and pocket the money,” Jhala added.
J S Geddam, the in-charge ACP of cyber cell, said on Wednesday they arrested 11 persons, including six women, involved in a con call racket from the Vikaspuri area of Delhi. They would call people and offering them gift vouchers of shopping malls and coax them into divulging their the one-time passwords (OTPs).
Jhala said if cyber cell were to be made a police station, it would improve cyber security and detection. “We could get additional specialist staff. We presently have 70 personnel of the ranks of inspector, sub-inspector, assistant sub-inspector, head constable and constable,” said Jhala.
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