Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday urged citizens to remain alert against cyber frauds involving criminals posing as police officers, CBI officials or judges, and clarified that there is no such thing as a “digital arrest”. He appealed to victims of cyber fraud to immediately contact the cybercrime helpline '1930'.
Fadnavis was speaking at an event organised by Maharashtra Cyber at Sahyadri Guest House, where he released a cyber awareness short film titled ‘Digital Arrest’ and the ‘1930 Maharashtra Cyber Anthem’. Actors Ashish Vidyarthi, Pankaj Tripathi, Sharad Kelkar, Sonali Bendre and Javed Jaffrey, along with singers Sunidhi Chauhan and Mangesh Desai and Samay Raina, who contributed to the awareness campaign, were present.
CM warns against cyber frauds
The Chief Minister said the period immediately after a cyber fraud is a crucial “golden hour”. If victims report the fraud promptly, authorities have a greater possibility of freezing the transaction or recovering the stolen money. However, delays of even a few days can allow criminals to transfer the money through several bank accounts, making recovery increasingly difficult.
“Citizens should immediately call 1930 as soon as they realise that they have been cheated,” Fadnavis said, stressing that fear and pressure tactics used by cybercriminals should not be allowed to dictate their actions.
Rising cybercrime concerns
He said increasing dependence on smartphones, online transactions, payment gateways and digital platforms has made technology an integral part of daily life, but has simultaneously increased citizens’ exposure to cybercrime. Public awareness, he said, remains one of the most effective tools to prevent such crimes.
Cybercriminals frequently threaten victims by claiming that illegal drugs or other prohibited items have been found in a parcel, or by making fake calls while posing as police or CBI officials. In some cases, victims are shown individuals dressed as police officers or judges through video calls to create fear and make them transfer money.
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AI-related threats highlighted
Fadnavis said the emergence of artificial intelligence has created additional challenges, including voice cloning and deepfakes, making cyber awareness even more important.
He praised the work being undertaken by Maharashtra Cyber to tackle these emerging threats and expressed confidence that a comprehensive public awareness campaign could be successfully implemented with citizens’ cooperation.
He also said artists and actors can play an important role in spreading awareness through films, social media clips and reels. The 42-minute ‘Digital Arrest’ film is part of the campaign aimed at reaching citizens across the state.
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