Beware of Online Scams, Chennai Police Warn

Chennai– The Tamil Nadu Police are urging the public to exercise caution as cybercrimes continue to surge across the state, leading to significant financial losses for individuals. Chennai and Coimbatore have been particularly hard hit, with smaller cities also experiencing a rise in cases.

According to the Greater Chennai City Police, 1,679 cybercrime cases were registered between January and August 2024, with 1,589 involving financial fraud. These scams resulted in approximately Rs 189 crore in losses.

Coimbatore City Police Commissioner V. Balakrishnan reported a similar trend in his city, with cybercrime losses reaching Rs 93 crore by November 2024. This marks a significant increase from previous years, with losses amounting to Rs 3 crore in 2021, Rs 13 crore in 2022, and Rs 48 crore in 2023.

The state cybercrime unit has received 6,798 complaints in 2024, resulting in 255 FIRs currently under investigation. These cases involve a reported loss of Rs 93.04 crore. Police have arrested 41 suspects, with seven detained under the Goondas Act.

Authorities have successfully frozen approximately Rs 49.25 crore of the Rs 98 crore in cybercrime losses reported by November 2024.

The police are advising the public to be wary of common scams, including online share trading fraud, “Digital Arrest” scams involving FedEx or TRAI impersonators, part-time job scams, matrimonial frauds, and gift or electricity bill scams.

Victims of financial cybercrime are urged to report their cases immediately to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) within 24 hours by calling the cybercrime helpline (1930) or visiting www.cybercrime.gov.in. Swift action is crucial as reporting on the NCRP allows authorities to freeze suspicious bank accounts.

Following a July 2024 Madras High Court directive, judicial officers can now initiate cybercrime loss recovery based on the NCRP complaint and a cybercrime police report, without an FIR.

The police also warn against investing in high-profit schemes advertised online or through unknown apps and websites. They advise against transferring money into unknown bank accounts.

In a recent case, a senior doctor in Chennai lost Rs 2 crore to an online share trading scam. By promptly filing a complaint on the NCRP portal, he was able to recover half the amount. The remaining amount is expected to be retrieved through ongoing investigations, as the scammers had converted a portion of the money into cryptocurrency and transferred it abroad.