Social media is now the major thing which is accessed by almost people living in India. This is a favourite spot for the scammers to fool people using various techniques.

In the initial three months of the 2024, a total of 43,797 complaints on cyber fraud via WhatsApp were received. Following this, 22,680 complaints of fraud via Telegram and 19,800 though Instagram has been registered.

The annual MHA report 2023-24 reads that Cyber fraudsters have been using Google services platforms for initiating these crimes. Google Advertisement platform provides a convenient facility for targeted advertisement from across the border.

It mentions that, “This scam, known as “Pig Butchering Scam” or “Investment Scam” is a global phenomenon and involves large-scale money laundering and even cyber slavery. Unemployed youths, housewives, students, and needy people are targeted, who are losing large sums of money (even borrowed money) on a daily basis.”

I4C has partnered with Google and Facebook for sharing intelligence and signals for proactive actions like flagging digital lending apps and its signals and Abuse of Google’s Firebase domains (free hosting) by Cyber fraudsters, Android Banking Malwares (Hashes) and many others. Sponsored Facebook ads are extensively used by organized cyber criminals to launch illegal lending apps in India.

Such links are proactively identified and shared with Facebook, along with Facebook pages for necessary action, it further reads. I4C is making efforts for the capacity building of all pillars of criminal justice system i.e. Law Enforcement Agencies, Forensic Examiners, Prosecutors and Judges for imparting training in cyber security, investigation of cybercrime and digital forensics in institutes across the country.

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Where To Register Complaint?

Any individual who have faced cyber fraud can report to National Cybercrime Reporting Portal. They can also dial 1930 and register the complaint.

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