NEW DELHI: Delhi Police is developing a comprehensive strategy to combat the growing threat of digital arrest scams . This includes creating a centralised complaint system and building a database of gangs involved in such frauds, officials said on Saturday.
A four-member committee led by a Special Commissioner has been formed to draft guidelines and policies for the initiative.
The committee is led by a Special Commissioner and includes a Deputy Commissioner Police as convenor, along with a Joint Commissioner and Additional Commissioner as members, according to a senior police official.
This initiative responds to increasing incidents where cybercriminals impersonate law enforcement officers, government officials or courier agents to deceive people by making false claims about legal violations.
These criminals conduct video calls that appear to be legal proceedings and pressure individuals to transfer substantial amounts of money by threatening them with arrest.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which oversees cybercrime nationally through the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), reports that Indians lost Rs 120 crore to digital arrest scams from January to April in 2024.
A significant issue being tackled is the confusion victims experience when trying to determine where to register their complaints.
"We are working on an online unified and centralised platform where victims can lodge complaints without worrying about jurisdiction. This will significantly improve response time and coordination," the officer said.
Delhi Police is creating a comprehensive database of criminal groups involved in these frauds, working with specialised cybercrime units. This will include their details, previous offences, locations and operational methods, sources indicated.
"By mapping these criminals and analysing their modus operandi, we can build preventive mechanisms and alert systems to stay one step ahead," the officer added.
The force plans to distribute detailed warnings about common tactics used by these groups. These will be shared with district units, public service platforms, banks and telecom providers to increase awareness and help early detection.
Vineet Kumar, Founder and Global President of CyberPeace, stated that digital arrest scams are a major and developing issue in cybercrime.
"In this context, a centralised platform for digital arrest fraud victims can be a vital step toward streamlining complaint processes and identifying criminal patterns," he said.
In a recent case, fraudsters pretending to be CBI officials deceived a 79-year-old former freelance journalist in Delhi's Hauz Khas area of Rs 2.36 crore by threatening arrest in a fabricated money laundering case.
She subsequently filed a complaint with Delhi Police's Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit.
A four-member committee led by a Special Commissioner has been formed to draft guidelines and policies for the initiative.
The committee is led by a Special Commissioner and includes a Deputy Commissioner Police as convenor, along with a Joint Commissioner and Additional Commissioner as members, according to a senior police official.
This initiative responds to increasing incidents where cybercriminals impersonate law enforcement officers, government officials or courier agents to deceive people by making false claims about legal violations.
These criminals conduct video calls that appear to be legal proceedings and pressure individuals to transfer substantial amounts of money by threatening them with arrest.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which oversees cybercrime nationally through the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), reports that Indians lost Rs 120 crore to digital arrest scams from January to April in 2024.
A significant issue being tackled is the confusion victims experience when trying to determine where to register their complaints.
"We are working on an online unified and centralised platform where victims can lodge complaints without worrying about jurisdiction. This will significantly improve response time and coordination," the officer said.
Delhi Police is creating a comprehensive database of criminal groups involved in these frauds, working with specialised cybercrime units. This will include their details, previous offences, locations and operational methods, sources indicated.
"By mapping these criminals and analysing their modus operandi, we can build preventive mechanisms and alert systems to stay one step ahead," the officer added.
The force plans to distribute detailed warnings about common tactics used by these groups. These will be shared with district units, public service platforms, banks and telecom providers to increase awareness and help early detection.
Vineet Kumar, Founder and Global President of CyberPeace, stated that digital arrest scams are a major and developing issue in cybercrime.
"In this context, a centralised platform for digital arrest fraud victims can be a vital step toward streamlining complaint processes and identifying criminal patterns," he said.
In a recent case, fraudsters pretending to be CBI officials deceived a 79-year-old former freelance journalist in Delhi's Hauz Khas area of Rs 2.36 crore by threatening arrest in a fabricated money laundering case.
She subsequently filed a complaint with Delhi Police's Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit.
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