Mumbai: Cybercrime cases see 46% surge in Jan-Feb 2022 as compared to last year

The number of cybercrime cases registered with the Mumbai Police has seen a 46 per cent rise in the first two months of the year 2022 as compared to the corresponding figures of 2021.

The two months in 2022 witnessed 836 cases of cybercrime, of which 302 were reported in January while 534 were registered last month. In comparison, the corresponding figures for 2021 stood at 449 cases. These included cases of credit/debit card cheating, online fraud and sextortion.

The Mumbai Police has time and again asked netizens to beware of cyber frauds and not share their privy banking details with anybody over a phone call. The warnings, however, seem to be falling on deaf ears as cyber crimes have been rising by the day.

This year, over 292 cases of cheating were registered in January and February, with 105 and 187 cases, respectively. The data released by the police also revealed that there was a 90 per cent rise in cases of credit and debit card fraud.

The type of online fraud cases registered included custom gift scams, purchase fraud, job fraud, insurance fraud, admission fraud, fake website fraud, investment fraud, matrimonial fraud, cryptocurrency fraud and loan fraud, among others. Cases of phishing attacks were also registered with the Mumbai Police, but with little difference over last year's figures in the corresponding period.

Speaking to the Free Press Journal, cybercrime expert Ravi Mahajan said, “Even as the government and police have the equipment and manpower to tackle cybercrime, somewhere people also have to keep themselves updated and not fall prey to the con.”

Reiterating the importance of the 'golden hour', the expert said that if the victim approaches the police well within the golden hour, the investigators can recover the money using the stop payment mechanism.