The police in Telangana State of India have been on an overdrive to ensure justice for cybercrime victims. The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB), a wing of the Telangana Police, has managed to not just recover but also refund Rs 85.05 crore (USD 10.13 billion approx.) to victims of cyber fraud between March and July 2024 across all commissionerates and districts of the State.
The Cyber Security Bureau officials underscored that most of the recovery was possible due to cyber awareness of victims who reported an online fraud within the “golden hour” or during the first one hour of realizing or suspecting the fraud.
How Cops Cracked Down on Cybercrime
To ensure that the Telangana Police can initiate massive refunds for cybercrime victims, the cops collaborated with the Telangana State Legal Services Authority (TGLSA). The duo focused on the increase in the number of cybercrimes causing substantial financial losses to citizens and difficulties faced by police officers in registering First Information Reports (FIRs), or a record of the crime, through India’s National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
“A major concern addressed by the team was the prolonged holding of fraudulent funds in banks without returning them to victims,” TGSCB Director and Additional DGP Shikha Goel told The Cyber Express.
To combat this issue and to streamline the filing of petitions under Section 457 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was developed by the TGCSB with the TGLSA in February 2024.
This SOP was then distributed to all District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) in Telangana with the active persuasion of the TGCSB. “The collaboration between TGCSB and TGLSA, along with the active participation of the Telangana High Court, underscores a strong legal framework designed to address the financial consequences of cybercrimes on citizens,” Shikha Goel said.
Since the implementation of these measures and the directives issued to all District Judges on February 20, 2024, a total of 6,840 petitions have been submitted to the courts. Refund orders have been granted for 6,449 cases, amounting to a total of ₹85.05 crore, the police informed.
Of the entire amount, Rs 36.8 crore has been refunded under the Cyberabad Commissionerate in Hyderabad, making it the top police unit in the state in terms of refunds processed.
Importance of the Golden Hour
The Cyber Security Bureau underscored the critical importance of immediate action in reporting cyber fraud within the ‘golden hour’, meaning that such cases must be reported immediately after fraud is noticed.
“This will significantly enhance the chances of freezing the fraud amount in the accused’s bank accounts and digital wallets and facilitating potential refunds to the victims,” Shikha Goel advised.
Cyber victims have been urged to report incidents by calling the police on the hotline 1930 or visiting the India’s cybercrime portal.
Prevention Steps to Avoid Online Fraud
Earlier this year, the TSCSB set up seven exclusive Cyber Crime Police Stations under six police commissionerates across the state to fight the rising number of cybercrimes. To raise awareness, the police shared a charter and asked citizens to be aware on how to avoid cyber frauds.
- Do not share personal or financial information online with unknown persons/entities.
- Verify the authenticity of messages or emails that request financial transactions.
- Use strong, unique passwords for different accounts and change them regularly.
- Keep your software and security systems updated to protect against vulnerabilities.
- Report any suspicious activity or cyber rime lo TGCSB immediately.
- Remember that stock investment only happens through DMAT account, stock exchange and not through any company websites.
- Remember that no law enforcement agencies ever make video calls and ask for transfer of money to any account for verification purposes.