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Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Indian Express
52 people arrested by Gurgaon cyber cops this year in cases involving total fraud of Rs 61 crore
Since January this year, Gurgaon city cybercrime police have arrested 52 people and apprehended a minor in connection with various cyber fraud cases across India that involved a total amount of Rs 61.65 crore, the police said. The arrests, made by teams from various cybercrime police stations, have led to the resolution of 12,607 complaints and 502 registered cases nationwide, including 28 cases in Haryana. According to the police, the accused used tactics such as fake social media profiles, sextortion, investment scams, impersonation of officials, and schemes like the FedEx fraud to deceive victims. The operations resulted in the recovery of 26 mobile phones, five laptops, three SIM cards, an ATM card. and a chequebook, along with Rs 15.36 lakh in cash. Examination of the seized devices by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) revealed the staggering scale of the fraud, officers said. Among the cases, five were registered at the Cybercrime East police station, two at the Cybercrime West police station, and one at the Cybercrime Manesar police station in Gurgaon. According to the police, key arrests in these cases include that of one Ruma Grover from Delhi's Ashok Vihar on January 4 by Satish Kumar, Inspector; Sachin, Karan Kumar, and Mohammad Kasif on April 23 and May 17 by Bhagat Singh, Head Constable; and the arrest of Lalchand Kumawat, Tarachand Gurjar, Manjeet, Kuldeep Kumar, Gulzari Shukla between March 21 and May 1 by Jitendra, Assistant Sub-Inspector – a minor was apprehended in this case. Other main arrests include that of 14 people in a case, including Anjanaiya Chaudhary and Himanshu Fartyal on January 9 by Anil, Assistant Sub-Inspector; and that of Pankaj Kumar Saini, Ravi Kumar Saini, and Kanhaiya Lal, who were nabbed on April 23 and May 30 by Chunni Lal, Head Constable. Several arrests were also made between September 2024 and May 2025 by Head Constable Virendra, Assistant Sub-Inspector Sajjan, and Head Constable Parsaram in multiple cases. In the case involving the minor, the police said, the complainant was tricked into depositing Rs 1.2 lakh with the promise of commissions while the accused posed as officials of the Adani Group on Telegram. In the case involving the accused Pankaj Kumar Saini, Ravi Kumar Saini, and Kanhaiya Lal, a man was tricked into paying Rs 1.2 lakh to a fake number of Lemon Tree hotel that was listed on Google.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
136 fake portals offering Char Dham chopper service shut in last 5 months: Official
As many as 136 fake websites offering helicopter ride booking for Char Dham yatra were shut down in the last five months this year, police officials said. 117 mobile numbers, 35 WhatsApp numbers have also been blocked, while 61 bank accounts have been frozen in coordination with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs. In 2024, 18 such fake websites were shut, 45 Facebook pages were blocked, and 20 bank accounts were frozen while in 2023, 64 fake websites offering chopper service to Char Dham yatris were blocked. Also Read:Gangotri: Civic body collects over 2 tonne of clothes discarded by pilgrims in Ganga 'We are witnessing a shift in the tactics of cybercriminals,' said senior superintendent of police (STF) Navneet Singh Bhullar. 'Earlier, scammers operated through fake websites. Now, they are leveraging Facebook and Instagram pages, using ad boosts to promote fraudulent helicopter booking links and deceive users', Bhullar said. 'To address this threat, deputy inspector general (Law & Order), Dhirendra Gunjyal, has been appointed as the nodal officer for Meta under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act. Under his supervision, legal notices are being sent to Meta to remove misleading content and ads related to these fake helicopter bookings', he said. 'We are monitoring the cases on a daily basis. Notices are being issued to the concerned social media platforms through the nodal officer. We are also actively coordinating with the Ministry of Home Affairs, bank administrators, and telecom service providers for blocking fraudulent phone numbers', he added. According to police, the major reason for such cybercrime is that victims had no information about the authentic website for helicopter service booking. DSP Ankush Mishra of cyber cell said, 'They (fraudsters) are exploiting search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to make their fake websites appear at the top of search results when pilgrims search for booking sites. As a result, those who are unaware of the authentic Char Dham chopper booking websites fall into their trap, click on these links, and unknowingly enter their financial details to make payments. These fraudsters are operating from various parts of the country, including Bihar, Jharkhand, and Haryana,' he said. 'The only way to curb such cybercrime is spreading awareness among the public. The booking for the Char Dham chopper service should only be made through IRCTC's website Mishra said.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Govt ropes in AI firm to speed up I4C's cybercrime response
The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) is preparing to deploy an artificial intelligence system that will automatically classify complaints and detect emerging fraud patterns across the country's cybercrime reporting platform. The AI model, developed by firm S4AI, will be integrated into the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal following further formalities, officials said. The system addresses a critical challenge faced by victims filing complaints on the portal. 'When a complainant is under pressure to report on the NCRP, they often don't even know what kind of crime has happened,' said Nisarg Gandhi, co-founder of S4AI. 'They might file a complaint in their local language, sometimes they only have a call recording, or maybe just some evidence files.' S4AI's model can process audio complaints in 22 languages, scanned FIR copies and text descriptions to automatically identify crime types and methods of operation. The system was trained using real-life data from the NCRP. The technology emerged as the winner of an AI hackathon organised October 2024 by the Union IT ministry's India AI Mission and I4C, chosen from 20 shortlisted teams to claim a ₹25 lakh prize. 'We are facing numerous challenges in cybercrime. The volume, veracity and complexity of the problems that are posed to us can be addressed very successfully with AI models,' said Rajesh Kumar, CEO of I4C. The portal currently receives approximately 6,000 cases daily. The need for such technological intervention is stark. According to the National Statistical Office's 'Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom, 2025' released on May 29, only 12.6% of rural residents aged 15 and above know how to report cybercrime or fraud, compared to 27.8% in urban areas. Experts hope the AI system will not only improve efficiency but also bridge this awareness gap by simplifying the reporting process. A key feature of the model is its ability to flag emerging cybercrime patterns in real time. When similar complaints spike within a single day, the system alerts law enforcement agencies about potential new fraud methods, enabling investigators to respond quickly before scams spread. Once deployed, Gandhi said the model will operate entirely within the NCRP's infrastructure. S4AI will lose access to the system post-deployment, ensuring data security and control remain solely with the government.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Char Dham heli scam: 51 fake websites, 111 numbers blocked
Dehradun: Amid ongoing efforts to curb the Char Dham heli-booking scam, the state cybercrime unit has blocked a total of 51 fake booking websites and 111 mobile numbers used in related fraudulent activities across the country. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The data, shared by the state cybercrime unit on Thursday, also revealed that 56 bank accounts linked to fraudulent transactions have been frozen. The action was taken with support from the ministry of home affairs' Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) portal. "We have also reported 30 WhatsApp numbers used to circulate fake heli-booking messages across the country," said DSP Ankush Mishra of the state cybercrime unit. Mishra added that last year, the police had approached Google to block certain keywords associated with the scam, which led to the removal of several fraudulent websites from search results. "In line with directions from DIG (law & order) Dhirendra Gunjyal, several legal notices were also served to Meta, requesting the removal of fake advertisements related to heli-booking services from its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. These efforts will continue in the coming days," he said. Mishra urged the public to remain vigilant and avoid falling for such scams. "We want to remind people that Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is the only authorised platform for booking Char Dham helicopter services for devotees," he said. Dehradun: Amid ongoing efforts to curb the Char Dham heli-booking scam, the state cybercrime unit has blocked a total of 51 fake booking websites and 111 mobile numbers used in related fraudulent activities across the country. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The data, shared by the state cybercrime unit on Thursday, also revealed that 56 bank accounts linked to fraudulent transactions have been frozen. The action was taken with support from the ministry of home affairs' Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) portal. "We have also reported 30 WhatsApp numbers used to circulate fake heli-booking messages across the country," said DSP Ankush Mishra of the state cybercrime unit. Mishra added that last year, the police had approached Google to block certain keywords associated with the scam, which led to the removal of several fraudulent websites from search results. "In line with directions from DIG (law & order) Dhirendra Gunjyal, several legal notices were also served to Meta, requesting the removal of fake advertisements related to heli-booking services from its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. These efforts will continue in the coming days," he said. Mishra urged the public to remain vigilant and avoid falling for such scams. "We want to remind people that Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is the only authorised platform for booking Char Dham helicopter services for devotees," he said.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
E-zero FIR initiative launched to fast-track cyber fraud cases; pilot begins in Delhi
Citizens who fall prey to cyber frauds—crimes that often transcend geographical boundaries—will soon no longer have to struggle with where and how to file an FIR. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has launched the e-Zero FIR initiative through the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), aimed at streamlining the registration of cybercrime cases and speeding up investigations and money recovery efforts. Announcing the move on Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that all cyber financial fraud complaints filed via the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) or the national helpline number '1930' will now automatically be converted into FIRs under the new system, TOI reported on May 20. In a post on X, Shah wrote, 'The new system, launched as a pilot project for Delhi, will drive investigations, swiftly cracking down on cybercriminals,' adding that it 'will soon be extended to the entire nation.' The automatic FIR conversion will initially apply to cases involving a threshold of ₹10 lakh and will be expanded to include all cyber financial fraud cases in future. 'The Modi government is bolstering the cybersecurity grid to build a cyber-secure Bharat,' Shah also posted. The home minister had earlier directed the implementation of the e-Zero FIR system during a review meeting on cybercrime, citing the significant challenges victims face in filing complaints and recovering lost money. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo According to a written reply by the MHA in the Rajya Sabha on March 12, 2025, around 13.4 lakh complaints have been received through I4C's Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System since its inception in 2021. These cases involved cyberfrauds worth thousands of crores, of which ₹4,386 crore was saved due to timely interventions by I4C. In another response, the MHA revealed that cyber frauds reported via the NCRP accounted for nearly ₹36,450 crore in total. The e-Zero FIR system integrates the NCRP platform, Delhi Police's e-FIR mechanism, and the National Crime Record Bureau's (NCRB) Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS). Under this process, any complaint of financial cybercrime above ₹10 lakh made to the NCRP or 1930 helpline will trigger the registration of a zero FIR with the newly designated e-crime police station in Delhi. These FIRs will then be forwarded to the appropriate territorial cybercrime police station for further action. Victims will be able to visit the respective cybercrime police station within three days to get the zero FIR converted into a regular FIR. The initiative is currently being piloted in Delhi, where the e-crime police station has been officially notified to register such FIRs and transfer them to the concerned jurisdictional police stations. Delhi Police and I4C have collaborated to ensure that the process aligns with the provisions of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). In a statement, the MHA said, 'This initiative will improve the conversion of NCRP/1930 complaints into FIRs, enabling easy restoration of money lost by victims and facilitating punitive action against cyber criminals.' The e-Zero FIR system is expected to be rolled out across all states and Union Territories following its successful implementation in Delhi. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
