FPJ Cyber Secure: MBVV's 'RegisTree' Grows As Cybercops Add One More Leaf For Successful Online Fraud Refund

By helping recover funds amounting to ₹36 lakh from the overseas digital wallet of a Chinese citizen who allegedly facilitated an online crypto fraud by duping a Bhayandar-based mobile trader, officials attached to the cyber cell of the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police have added one more leaf to its achievement tree.

With the current recovery, the total figures have soared from ₹47.93 lakh to ₹80.93 lakh in less than six months between January 1 to June 15 this year. 

Notably, the cybercrime cell office has installed a painting of an achievement tree at its office in Mira Road which demonstrates brief information about every successful refund on leaves.

“The achievement tree motivates us to solve maximum cases and add leaves to the tree after every successful refund to the complainant.” said a cyber cell officer.  Operating with limited resources and manpower, the cyber cell has received 1,350 complaints in the corresponding period. However, these complaints are not limited to just online financial frauds, but also other crimes including -social media hacking, fake accounts, defamation, harassment and even stalking.

Cyberfraud complaints tripled in a year

Notably, the total number of cybercrime complaints received by the cell had leaped by more than three times from 794 in 2021 to 2,738 in 2022 across all 17 police stations which fall under the jurisdiction of the MBVV police. In the wake of an alarming rise in cybercrime cases, the total numbers could touch 3,000 this year.

While ₹91.94 lakh was recovered in 2021, the figures stood at ₹28.80 lakh in 2022, through various methods like effecting reversal of transaction by establishing contact with the gateway of the digital platform that provides recharge and payment solutions on the virtue of technical surveillance and money trail 

Cybercrime helpline

Stressing on the need to be careful while dealing with unknown callers/senders and to lodge complaint as soon as possible (Golden Hour), a senior MBVV police official said that people can call the cybercrime cell on 1930 even email at www.cybercrime.gov.in for reporting online frauds.