Delhi Police's Operation CyHawk deals major blow to cyber fraudsters

Delhi Police's Operation CyHawk has crippled cybercrime networks in a city-wide raid. The crackdown led to 1,429 arrests, traced over Rs 519 crore in defrauded funds, and shut down numerous illegal call centres orchestrating scams.

In one of the largest coordinated operations against cybercrime in recent years, Delhi Police have dealt a significant blow to online fraudsters operating from the national capital under a city-wide crackdown named Operation CyHawk.

As per the release, conceived and directed by Commissioner of Police Satish Golchha, IPS, the operation marked a decisive shift from reactive measures to dismantling the entire cybercrime ecosystem. The month-long intelligence gathering and planning phase received strong backing from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Dismantling the Fraud Ecosystem

The raids primarily targeted the financial backbone of cyber fraud syndicates -- mule bank accounts used to move stolen funds, agents withdrawing cash, and illegal call centres orchestrating scams. These included fake job offers, "digital arrest" threats, telemarketing frauds, customer-care impersonations, and fake tech-support schemes.

Key Results and Arrests

Operation CyHawk led to over 8,371 suspects being questioned across multiple districts, with 1,429 individuals arrested or bound down based on strong technical and financial evidence, while 2,203 formal notices were issued to people linked to the money trails. The police registered 499 new FIRs and made breakthroughs in 324 pending cyber fraud cases, successfully linking 3,564 complaints from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) to specific mule accounts and mobile numbers, a release added.

Financial Impact and Seizures

Investigators traced more than Rs 519 crore in defrauded money to accounts connected with these organised networks, neutralised several illegal call centres to halt ongoing and future scams, and recovered hundreds of mobile phones, laptops, hard drives, SIM cards, debit/credit cards, financial ledgers, and other tools, all of which are now under forensic examination.

Commissioner's Statement on the Operation

Speaking about the success, Commissioner Satish Golchha said: "Operation CyHawk reflects Delhi Police's firm resolve to stay ahead of cyber criminals through intelligence-led and technology-driven policing. By targeting their financial and operational backbone, we have weakened these networks significantly. This sends a strong message -- those who cheat citizens through digital means will be identified, tracked, and brought to justice."

Coordinated Effort and Acknowledgements

The coordinated raids were supervised on the ground by senior officers, including Special CP Madhup Tewari and Special CP Anil Shukla, with joint coordination by Joint CPs Rajneesh Gupta and Vijay Singh. Delhi Police expressed gratitude to I4C, banking institutions, and telecom partners for their crucial support. The force has vowed to continue such proactive operations at regular intervals to maintain pressure on cybercrime syndicates.

How to Stay Safe from Cyber Fraud

According to the release, citizens are advised to remain alert online. Follow the mantra: STOP - THINK - ACT. Never share bank details, PIN, OTP, or CVV with unknown callers. Be cautious of unsolicited job offers, investment schemes, or "easy money" promises. Always verify customer care numbers from official websites and avoid installing screen-sharing apps on request. Enable two-factor authentication and keep your phone software updated. Fraud incidents can be reported immediately on the cybercrime.gov.in portal (NCRP) or via helpline 1930 to help freeze fraudulent transactions and recover money.

Police Awareness Initiatives

Delhi Police have also stepped up cyber awareness campaigns through social media, workshops in schools, colleges, and residential areas to educate people about emerging threats. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)