Kerala: Cyber fraud cases on rise in Thiruvananthapuram; Residents lose Rs 35 crore in 6 months

Thiruvananthapuram has experienced a significant rise in cybercrime, with losses amounting to Rs 35 crore in just six months. In response, DCP P Nithin Raj has vowed to intensify efforts against online fraud.

Thiruvananthapuram: The capital city has witnessed a drastic rise in cybercrime, with losses totaling Rs 35 crore in just six months. In response, DCP P Nithin Raj has pledged to ramp up efforts to combat online fraud.  High-ranking officials and individuals with advanced degrees have fallen prey to sophisticated scams, suffering significant financial losses.

Investigations revealed that the illicit funds were being funneled into overseas accounts, with a staggering Rs 27 crores swindled through a bogus digital share market scheme. As of last month, authorities had registered 122 cases, with some fraudsters even posing as job recruiters to deceive victims.

In the past six months, seven instances of online fraud have resulted in losses of approximately Rs 3 crores, with enforcement officers being impersonated in these scams. Moreover, a total of 163 FIRs have been filed, with victims suffering collective losses of over Rs 33 lakhs. Notably, these scams typically target individuals with substantial funds in their bank accounts, making them vulnerable to these malicious activities.

The police have cautioned the public to exercise extreme caution when receiving unsolicited messages promising unusually high returns, fake customer support, loan offers, lottery wins, or prize notifications, particularly in the share market. Despite these warnings, fraud cases continue to rise, with scammers now impersonating officers from reputable agencies like CBI, NCB, and state police departments to deceive victims.