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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.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Noida woman duped of ₹14L in digital arrest
Noida: A 33-year-old woman in Noida was duped of ₹14 lakh after being allegedly put under digital arrest following a call from an international number, with the caller impersonating a telecom regulatory representative, police said on Tuesday, adding that a case was registered on Monday at the cybercrime branch police station. In her police complaint, the victim, name withheld, a private firm employee who resides in Sector 50, said she received the call on January 3 and filed the complaint on a cyber portal later that day. 'I was told on call that there were 17 complaints against the mobile number, including an FIR related to illegal advertisement and harassment, registered in my name,' reads the first information report (FIR). She was threatened that her current number would be blocked, and she would not be able to use any cellular network in India, officers said. 'I was told I had two hours to submit a police clarification letter or face dire consequences. He offered to help me connect with the police directly for faster action,' the FIR said. Police said later the fraudsters transferred her call to another person posing as a Mumbai police officer on the pretext of investigation. 'I was crying, trembling, pleading. I told them …have never been to Mumbai… They kept bullying me mentally cornering me, humiliating me, and emotionally,' she alleged in the FIR. Following her questioning, she was compelled to visit the bank despite her ligament injury and transfer ₹14 lakh. Later, her mother counselled her and she realised being duped, officers said. 'The case was then reported to the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), and following investigation, a case under relevant sections of cheating of the BNS and the IT Act was registered on Monday,' said cybercrime branch station house officer Ranjeet Kumar Singh.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Time of India
Police pass the buck as Bhopal loses 100+cr to cyber-cons, gets 2% back
Bhopal: The surge in cyber-crime cases shows no signs of slowing down in the city as more than 440 complaints have already been lodged at the Bhopal Cyber-crime Branch between Jan and May this year. The financial toll of these cases stands at a staggering Rs 9.3 crore siphoned off by fraudsters, marking a grim continuation of the digital fraud trend that has plagued city residents over the past few years. According to officials, the scale of cyber fraud in Bhopal has reached alarming proportions. From 2022 to 2024, city residents have cumulatively lost over Rs 104 crore to online scams. Of this, nearly Rs63 crore was defrauded in 2024 alone, making it the worst year in terms of financial loss due to cyber-crime. Despite heightened awareness campaigns and law enforcement efforts, recovery of the defrauded amount remains a daunting challenge. Over the past three years, only about 2 percent of the total stolen funds have been successfully refunded to the victims, which points to an abysmal recovery. rate. In 2025, the Cyber-crime Branch managed to freeze Rs46.46 lakh in various fraudulent bank accounts. So far, a total of Rs 7.88 lakh has been refunded to victims this year. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Semua yang Perlu Anda Ketahui Tentang Limfoma Limfoma Pelajari Undo Banks Should Help Victims More: Cops A senior crime branch official said that recovery of money siphoned by cyber-criminals is a tough task. Even if the police freeze or hold the bank accounts of the cyber-criminals, there are no specific guidelines when the money will be refunded to the victim. If there are many victims, the money is refunded through the courts on first come first serve basis. He said that the banks do not help the victims in getting refunds of their own hard-earned money. The banks should create cyber-crime help desks in their offices to help the cyber-crime victims. The banks should take appropriate action to control the menace of mule bank accounts which act as backbone for the cyber-criminals to siphon money, he said. NCRP Plaint Number Now Considered FIR A Cyber-crime Branch cop said that in case of a cyber-crime, if the victim files complaint through the national cyber-crime helpline number -1930 or the portal , and the national cyber-crime reporting portal (NCRP) shows that the money is frozen or on-hold in the bank account used by the cyber-criminal, the person can use the NCRP complaint number as FIR and approach the court through an advocate requesting the court to order the bank to refund his or her stolen money. There is no need to wait for the police to register an FIR in such a case. Earlier the banks disallowed refunds until FIR was registered in the cyber-crime cases. Normal people do not understand the difference between police complaints and FIRs. They think that merely filing a written complaint with police and taking an acknowledgement is an FIR. He said that on the order of the union minister a pilot project has been started in Delhi in which it has been made mandatory to register FIR in all the cyber-crime cases involving fraud amount of Rs 10 lakh or more. Local police stations will register FIR in such matters. Cops Cite 'Glitches' As Obstacles To Refunds He said that there are many glitches in the refund process when multiple victims are involved and the money has been frozen or kept on hold in a single bank account by police of multiple states. In such cases it takes months to get a refund. The victims have to explain it before the courts that it is their money, or their money has not been further transferred or withdrawn. In most of the cyber-crime cases, the cyber-criminals use mule bank accounts to siphon money from victims across the states. In such cases it becomes difficult to explain before the courts that it is the victim's money. In such cases, a person should keep record of their unique transaction reference (UTR) which helps in tracking money trail. Even if money is transferred into multiple accounts, the victim's UTR can help in tracing it. The challenge is to get the money frozen in the cyber-criminal's bank account immediately after cyber-crime fraud. He added that in cases in which the victim has not shared his credentials but fallen victim to cyber-crime, it is the responsibility of banks to refund the siphoned amount. Like in ATM skimming cases reported in the city in the past, the money was refunded by the bank, he added. Staff Crunch: Helpline Centre's Capacity Lags A senior crime branch official said that there is a dedicated call centre set up to pick up calls received on the 1930 helpline in every state. Many times, the cyber-crime victims report that the line was busy or they could not connect due to which they could not file a complaint on time. The efficiency of the call centre needs improvement. He said that Bhopal police have set up cyber-crime desks at all police stations where the cyber-crimes can be reported. But the Cyber-crime branch too suffers from staff crunch. The force of around 70 cops posted in Cyber-crime branch are deployed in law-and-order duties on a regular basis. Special Campaign Against Mule Bank Accounts & Pre-Activated SIM cards: Commissioner Speaking on challenges, police commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra said that in cases in which police catch the cyber-criminals, they lure the victims to settle the matter out of court by offering them their defrauded money and compromise. Bhopal Police are taking proactive steps to curb cyber-crimes, he said. A campaign is being run against those involved in selling mule accounts and pre-activated SIM cards to cyber-cons.
NDTV
26-05-2025
- NDTV
Senior Citizen In Delhi Lose Rs 25 Lakh In A Digital Arrest, 3 Arrested
New Delhi: Three fraudsters were arrested for allegedly duping a senior citizen of Rs 25 lakh following a 'digital arrest', police said on Monday. The three accused have been identified as Rahul Verma, Shantanu Richoriya and Arjun Singh. According to Delhi Police, a complaint of Mahender Jain Resident of Raj Nagar, Palam Colony, Delhi was received through NCRP regarding digital arrest and duping of Rs 25 Lakhs by the unknown fraudsters. He alleged that he received a video call on WhatsApp on March 21, 2025, from a person claiming to be Sanjay, a Police Inspector from the Crime Branch of Nashik Police. The caller informed him that his Aadhaar card was being misused to create a fraudulent debit/credit card in Canara Bank. The caller showed a photocopy of the card and alleged that it was being used for money laundering by owner of a big airline company, police said. The victim was threatened with police action, after which he deposited all his savings and fixed deposits, sold his wife's jewellery, and transferred money to the alleged persons through Paytm and RTGS. He transferred approximately Rs 25 lakh. After a preliminary enquiry, a case under sections 318(2)/61(2)/3(5) BNS was registered at PS Cyber, South West district, and the investigation was taken up. Police said the team identified the accused operating from different states using technical surveillance, digital footprints, and money trail analysis. "The suspects used WhatsApp with fake identities, conducted frauds from hotel rooms in Delhi, and dealt with mule account holders from across India who were brought in person to the hotels." After sustained analysis, a raid was conducted in Paharganj, Delhi, resulting in the arrest of three accused. During the arrest, the SIM Card used in committing the offence was recovered. Three mobile phones used in committing the cyber crimes, along with four SIM Cards, four passbooks, and three cheque books of different banks, were recovered from their possession. On interrogation, it was revealed that the accused Rahul first supplied his account to accused persons. Later seeing a profit, he started working in the nexus and started hiring/supplying account to the nexus. The accused persons used to facilitate and handle the mule accounts holders in Delhi and contacted international operators through WhatsApp in order to hoodwink the law enforcement agencies and further transferred duped money in those accounts. Secret groups were made on WhatsApp and operated through fake WhatsApp numbers. So far 7-8 mule accounts have been traced to them. The other accused persons have been identified and raids are on to nab them, police said. Further investigation is underway.
India Gazette
26-05-2025
- India Gazette
Delhi: Senior citizen duped of Rs 25 lakh after digital arrest; 3 fraudsters nabbed
New Delhi [India], May 26 (ANI): Three fraudsters were arrested for allegedly duping a senior citizen of Rs 25 lakh following a 'digital arrest', police said on Monday. The three accused have been identified as Rahul Verma, Shantanu Richoriya and Arjun Singh. According to Delhi Police, a complaint of Mahender Jain Resident of Raj Nagar, Palam Colony, Delhi was received through NCRP regarding digital arrest and duping of Rs 25 Lakhs by the unknown fraudsters. He alleged that he received a video call on WhatsApp on March 21, 2025, from a person claiming to be Sanjay, a Police Inspector from the Crime Branch of Nashik Police. The caller informed him that his Aadhaar card was being misused to create a fraudulent debit/credit card in Canara Bank. The caller showed a photocopy of the card and alleged that it was being used for money laundering by owner of a big airline company, police said. The victim was threatened with police action, after which he deposited all his savings and fixed deposits, sold his wife's jewellery, and transferred money to the alleged persons through Paytm and RTGS. He transferred approximately Rs 25 lakh. After a preliminary enquiry, a case under sections 318(2)/61(2)/3(5) BNS was registered at PS Cyber, South West district, and the investigation was taken up. Police said the team identified the accused operating from different states using technical surveillance, digital footprints, and money trail analysis. 'The suspects used WhatsApp with fake identities, conducted frauds from hotel rooms in Delhi, and dealt with mule account holders from across India who were brought in person to the hotels.' After sustained analysis, a raid was conducted in Paharganj, Delhi, resulting in the arrest of three accused. During the arrest, the SIM Card used in committing the offence was recovered. Three mobile phones used in committing the cyber crimes, along with four SIM Cards, four passbooks, and three cheque books of different banks, were recovered from their possession. On interrogation, it was revealed that the accused Rahul first supplied his account to accused persons. Later seeing a profit, he started working in the nexus and started hiring/supplying account to the nexus. The accused persons used to facilitate and handle the mule accounts holders in Delhi and contacted international operators through whatsapp in order to hoodwink the law enforcement agencies and further transferred duped money in those accounts. Secret groups were made on Whatsapp and operated through fake whatsapp numbers. So far 7-8 mule accounts have been traced to them. The other accused persons have been identified and raids are on to nab them, police said. Further investigation is underway. (ANI)
