The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has taken significant steps in curbing digital fraud. In a statement to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, revealed that over 1,700 Skype IDs and 59,000 WhatsApp accounts linked to fraudulent activities have been identified and blocked.
Kumar also highlighted the success of the 'Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System,' introduced by I4C in 2021. The system allows citizens to report financial frauds instantly, preventing fraudsters from siphoning off funds. To date, more than ₹3,431 crore has been saved from over 9.94 lakh complaints.
Action on Digital Fraud Tools
In addition to blocking Skype and WhatsApp accounts, the I4C has contributed to the broader effort to combat cybercrime by identifying and blocking over 6.69 lakh SIM cards and 1.32 lakh IMEI numbers. These actions were taken by the government in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, ensuring that fraudulent activity is swiftly addressed.
New Mechanism to Block Spam Calls
A key development in tackling cyber fraud involves a system developed in collaboration with Telecom Service Providers (TSPs). This system is designed to block incoming international spoofed calls that appear to originate from Indian mobile numbers. These spoofed calls have been used in scams such as fake digital arrests and impersonation of government officials, leading to significant financial losses.
Kumar further outlined the establishment of the Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre (CFMC) at I4C, which facilitates collaboration between banks, financial institutions, payment aggregators, TSPs, IT intermediaries, and law enforcement agencies. The CFMC ensures a coordinated response to cybercrime and strengthens efforts to mitigate fraud.
New Features for Public Awareness
In a bid to enhance public safety, I4C launched a suspect registry in September 2024, in partnership with financial institutions. This registry, which is accessible via the portal cybercrime.gov.in, includes identifiers of known cyber criminals. A new 'Report and Check Suspect' feature allows citizens to search the repository for suspicious identifiers, adding an additional layer of protection for the public against cybercrime.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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