Latest news with #TelanganaCyberSecurityBureau
Hans India
4 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
TGCSB's efforts pay off, cyber crime complaints across State drop by 11%
Hyderabad: Telangana State saw a significant drop in cyber crime, with a 11 per cent decrease in financial cyber crime complaints, and the total amount lost in cyber crimes decreased by 19 per cent, with a 5.5 per cent drop observed as compared to the September–December 2024 quarter. The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) reported a substantial reduction in cyber crime complaints and financial losses during the first four months of 2025, when compared to the same period in 2024. Shikha Goel, director TGCSB said that Telangana improved its percentage of recovery (POH) of lost money from 13 per cent in 2024 to 16 per cent in 2025, demonstrating more effective complaint redressal and coordination with banks and platforms. The Bureau credits this progress to a combination of public awareness initiatives, proactive investigations, and strategic operations powered by data analytics and inter-agency collaboration. The State witnessed a 11 per cent decrease in financial cyber crime complaints from January to April 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. In contrast, cyber crime complaints across India increased by 28 per cent during the same period. As per the reports, the total amount lost in cyber crimes in Telangana decreased by 19 per cent from January–April 2025 compared to 2024. This reflects a more than 30 per cent reduction compared to the previous quarter (Sep–Dec 2024). The preliminary internal figures indicate a continued decline in both complaint volume and total losses in May 2025 when compared to May 2024. The FIRs increased from 6,763 (2024) to 7,575 (2025), improving the conversion rate from 18 per cent to 19 per cent. The number of arrested persons tripled, rising from 230 in early 2024 to 626 in 2025. The TGCSB's efforts to streamline processes, strengthen coordination with district police, and adopt data-backed tracking significantly contributed to higher case closures and quicker action against cyber criminals. Shikha Goel said that the reason behind the decline is the extensive awareness campaigns, as TGCSB conducted state-wide campaigns targeting digital arrest scams, investment frauds, and OTP-based crimes. The introduction of the 1930 Chatbot and improved IVR system helped reduce reporting time from six to seven minutes to under three minutes, ensuring faster freezing of fraudulent transactions during the 'golden hour'. Massive outreach was held through caller tunes, posters, school and college workshops, and district training programmes. SHIELD 2025 – the TGCSB-hosted cyber security conclave united law enforcement, tech platforms, and regulatory bodies to address emerging cyber threats. Additionally, real-time collaboration with banks and service providers improved fraud detection and transaction blocking. The director said, 'The TGCSB has adopted data-driven and technology-supported methods to identify cybercrime hotspots and successfully conducted two interstate and three intrastate special field operations. Moreover, advanced analytics, digital profiling, and OSINT tools are being deployed to support enforcement teams in identifying and arresting cyber criminals efficiently. Joint operation teams have been formed to execute interstate PT warrants, enhancing tracking and resolution capabilities.'
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Telangana sees sharp dip in cybercrime
Telangana has reported a marked decline in both cybercrime complaints and financial losses in the first four months of 2025. The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) attributes this drop to aggressive public outreach, faster complaint resolution, and an expanding tech-led enforcement framework. According to figures revealed by the bureau, financial cybercrime complaints between January and April fell by 11% compared to the same period last year. The trend held steady with a further 5.5% drop against the preceding quarter (September-December 2024). Cases of financial losses in Telangana dropped by 19% compared to early 2024. Across India, losses rose by 12% in the same time. The TGCSB also recorded an improvement in its recovery rate, the Percentage of Hold (POH), with 16% of defrauded money retrieved in 2025 so far, up from 13% last year. Besides, number of FIRs registered has risen from 6,763 in early 2024 to 7,575 this year. More strikingly, arrests have tripled, 626 accused have been taken into custody so far, compared to just 230 in the same period last year. Prisoner Transit (PT) warrant executions, a key marker of cross-jurisdictional policing, increased from 53 to 89. The bureau says its transformation into a tech-savvy crime-fighting outfit has played a crucial role. Data analytics, digital profiling, and open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools are now being routinely deployed. This has led to two major interstate operations and three intrastate field-level crackdowns in the last four months alone. The launch of the 1930 chatbot and a redesigned IVR system have reduced average reporting time from over six minutes to within three. TGCSB Director Shikha Goel credits this to a blend of quick response, granular data monitoring, and deeper integration with district police teams. 'The focus is no longer just on reacting to complaints. We are identifying hotspots, pre-empting fraud patterns, and moving faster than fraudsters,' she said.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Telangana sees drop in cybercrime complaints: Official
Hyderabad, Telangana reported a substantial reduction in cybercrime complaints and financial losses during the first four months of 2025, when compared to the same period in 2024, a senior police official said on Sunday. The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau credits this progress to a combination of public awareness initiatives, proactive investigations, and strategic operations powered by data analytics and inter-agency collaboration, TGCSB Director Shikha Goel said in a release. Telangana witnessed 11 per cent decrease in financial cybercrime complaints from January to April 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, she said, adding that in contrast, cybercrime complaints across the country increased by 28 per cent during the same period. The total amount lost in cybercrimes in Telangana decreased by 19 per cent from January–April 2025 when compared to 2024. Nationally, cybercrime-related financial losses rose by 12 per cent during the same timeframe, Goel said. Telangana also improved its percentage of recovery of lost money from 13 per cent in 2024 to 16 per cent in 2025, demonstrating more effective complaint redressal and coordination with banks and platforms. The number of arrested persons tripled, rising from 230 in early 2024 to 626 in 2025. TGCSB has adopted data-driven and technology-supported methods to identify cybercrime hotspots and successfully conducted two interstate and three intrastate special field operations, Goel said. "Advanced analytics, digital profiling, and Open-Source Intelligence tools are being deployed to support enforcement teams in identifying and arresting cybercriminals efficiently. Joint operation teams have been formed to execute interstate PT warrants, enhancing tracking and resolution capabilities," the TGCSB Director said. TGCSB's efforts to streamline processes, strengthen coordination with district police, and adopt data-backed tracking significantly contributed to higher case closures and quicker action against cybercriminals, she said. TGCSB conducted extensive statewide awareness campaigns targeting digital arrest scams, investment frauds, and OTP-based crimes, Goel added.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
TGCSB targets Indian recruiters working for Chinese Cyber Criminals with LOCs
Hyderabad: As part of a multi-pronged approach to curb cases of cyber slavery, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has so far issued six Look Out Circulars (LOCs) against Indian agents wanted in connection with such cases. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now One such agent was recently apprehended owing to a LOC issued by the TGCSB. This year, 24 cases of cyber slavery have been registered in the state, with officials arresting 14 accused, including local agents. While nabbing these local agents poses a significant challenge, a greater difficulty lies in establishing the true identities of Indian touts operating from Myanmar, Laos, or Cambodia, and bringing them to justice. For instance, in the case of Kolanati Nagashiva, aged 36, a resident of Jeedimetla, he is wanted in three cyber slavery cases filed at the TGCSB police station in Nizamabad and the Armoor police station in March 2025. In collusion with local job consultants from Metpally and Jagtial, Nagashiva posed as 'James' and conducted fake job interviews for the victims, deceiving them into travelling to cyber crime hubs in Laos under the pretext of data entry jobs in Thailand. Acting on complaints from the victims, TGCSB sleuths established the real identity of James as Kolanati Nagashiva through the arrest of local touts and subsequently issued a LOC against him. Unaware of the LOC, Nagashiva arrived at Kolkata airport from Laos on 19 May, where immigration officials detained him based on the LOC and handed him over to the TGCSB. The accused is currently in judicial custody. In another case, a victim from Nalgonda was duped by his friend from Hyderabad and forced to work in a cyber crime centre in Myanmar. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The TGCSB arrested a local offender who acted as a conduit between two other Indian nationals suspected to be operating from Myawaddy in Myanmar. "My friend worked in Myanmar for over a year and returned to India due to ill health. Despite being fully aware of the cyber crime operations and appalling conditions, he still referred me there and demanded $1,500 as commission from the Indians in Myanmar who had previously worked with him," the victim stated. TGCSB is also focusing on such Indian offenders operating from Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand who recruit for Chinese cyber criminals, and to date this year, has issued six LOCs against them. Of the 24 cyber slavery cases registered in Telangana this year, 10 are being investigated by TGCSB police stations, while the remaining 14 are being handled by police departments in other districts, including Hyderabad, Jagtial, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, and Nirmal. In these 24 cases, 14 individuals have been arrested, including Kolanati Nagashiva of Jeedimetla, Hithesh Arjana Soumya of Porbandar in Gujarat, and local agents Abhishek Gajula from Nagole and Basheer Ahmed from Bahadurpura.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Event manager duped of Rs 15 lakh in fake job offer for Rajamouli's new movie
Hyderabad: A businessman running an even management company was duped of Rs 15.9 lakh with the lure of a job in the upcoming big-budget movie 'SSMB 29' starring Mahesh Babu and directed by SS Rajamouli. The 35-year-old victim, who has his company in Warangal, was promised the job of manager in the movie's art department. He realised it was a fraud after continuous demands for money and no actual job. He finally filed a complaint with the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau's Warangal police station on Thursday. The man was first contacted by the fraudster, who called himself Venkatesh, in Nov last year. He claimed to be a manager with the film crew and offered him the job as art department manager. Venkatesh initially requested a modest registration fee of Rs 15,000, followed by increasingly larger amounts for various purported requirements, the victim said. "I paid Rs 4 lakh for a Golden ID card, purportedly required to work as art department director. He took amounts ranging from Rs 40,000 to Rs 80,000 for obtaining permissions from four top Tollywood film production houses to secure me work. Venkatesh created an elaborate facade, sending fake letters and documents via WhatsApp to gain my trust," the victim said in his complaint. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ukraine: Unsold Sofas at Bargain Prices (View Current Prices) Sofas | Search Ads Search Now Undo The fraudster used multiple phone numbers and email addresses to conduct the scam, including communications through emails with Rajamouli's name. The payments, ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 90,000 in 88 transactions, were made through UPI to different mobile numbers from multiple bank accounts between Nov 21, 2024, and March 10, 2025, he said. Following his complaint, a case was registered under sections 318(4) (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 319(2) (cheating by impersonation) of the BNS and sections 66-C, 66-D of the IT Act by the TGCSB in Warangal. Cops said they were analysing bank transactions of the victim to track the offenders.
