Cyber Crime Up 11% In India in 2020, New Modus Operandi And Rise Of Cyber Fraud Big Concern

NEW DELHI: The latest National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data shows that cases of cyber crime in India increased by 11% in 2020.

According to the report, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notified the Home Committee “The data of cyber crimes in the States/UTs was 21,796 in 2017, 27,248 in 2018, 44735 in 2019, and 50035 in 2020, according to the NCRB.

In 2020, a total of 50,035 cases of cybercrime were reported, representing an increase of 11.8 percent over 44,735 cases in 2019.

In this category, the crime rate climbed from 3.3 in 2019 to 3.7 in 2020. In 2020, fraud accounted for 60.2 percent of all cyber-crime cases (30,142 out of 50,035 reported), with sexual exploitation accounting for 6.6 percent (3,293 incidents) and extortion accounting for 4.9 percent (2,440 cases).

The Committee was alarmed by the rise of a number of incidents in cyberspace, where cyber criminals are using novel means and modus operandi to perpetrate crimes.

The panel has been informed that some states, including Punjab, Rajasthan, Goa, and Assam, do not have a single cyber crime cell.

MHA may encourage states to establish cyber cells in all districts, according to the Committee. States should identify cyber crime hotspots to aid in the detection of crimes and the implementation of preventive measures to prevent cybercrime.

The Committee also advises that existing cyber cells be upgraded by establishing dark web monitoring cells and social media monitoring cells to combat various types of cybercrime. In addition to traditional police recruitment, technical professionals should be inducted into the police force.

Anand Sharma’s Standing Committee on Home Affairs released a detailed report on police training, modernization, and reforms on Thursday.