Cyber cops on high-octane: Block Rs 50 crore of victim funds

MUMBAI: Over Rs 50 crore in bank and merchant accounts has been blocked from being siphoned off by fraudsters, thanks to the police cyber cell helpline 1930. While till a couple of years ago not much help could be expected by dialling the number (less than 30% of calls would be answered), infrastructure and personnel upgrades and the police taking cybercrime more seriously has reversed the narrative: the amount protected in the two and a half months till now this year is almost the same as that of all of 2023.If a similar period is considered last year, the amount protected is over four times more.
In 2023, the cyber police, with the help of banks and payment gateways blocked Rs 26.5 crore of victims’ money. This year, till March 16, the amount blocked was over Rs 22 crore. Set up at Mumbai Police’s headquarters on May 17, 2022, the helpline was initially manned by two officers and six constables. As the reporting of cases increased, the helpline team, which now operates from the BKC cybercrime police station, in May last year received a staff increment of 23 -- three officers and 20 constables. The cell, which operates 24x7, even on public holidays, underwent a second expansion in December, with the staff strength increasing to 50. While 91,357 calls were made in all of last year, 1.06 lakh calls were made from Jan 1 to March 16 this year.
The helpline works in three shifts. After receiving a call about a financial fraud, cops note down details of the victim’s financial transactions and alert the bank or payment gateway concerned. The cyber police team, even as it begins investigations, asks the bank/payment gateway to block the victim’s money, which the fraudster took away into his own account. “The catch is that the complaint needs to be made at the quickest. Remedial action needs to be taken before the fraudster withdraws the funds from his own account,” said an officer.
The helpline team is headed by Lakhmi Gautam, crime branch chief, and Datta Nalawade, DCP (crime). Gautam said, “This facility was started as part of a national project initiated by the Union home ministry.” In January, the 1930 team saved Rs 3.7 crore within 48 hours of receiving a complaint from a south Mumbai housewife. She had invested Rs 4.56 crore in “share trading” and was promised “double profit”. She was duped and had to approach the police.