Cyber Crime
Mewat Becomes Major Hub for Cyber Fraud: 74 Gangs Swindle Rs 336 Crores in 4 Months
The Mewat region in Deeg district, Rajasthan, has become a significant center for cyber fraud. In just four months, 74 gangs have defrauded a staggering Rs 3.36 billion. Notable cases include Arif Khan, who swindled Rs 135 million in a case registered at Nagar police station, Javed with Rs 116.9 million at Kama police station, Talim with Rs 78.5 million at Kaithwara police station, and Taiful with Rs 70.3 million at Sikri police station. Together, these gangs carried out massive scams between March and June.
High Incidence of Cyber Fraud in Specific Police Stations
The Deeg district is seeing an alarming rise in cyber fraud cases, particularly at police stations in Deeg Kotwali, Kama, Nagar, Pahadi, Khoh, Sikri, Kaithwara, Jaluki, Jurhara, and Gopalgarh. A significant 90% of these cases involve morphing victims’ images with explicit videos. Other scams include offering luxury cars, high-end bikes, and expensive phones at discounted prices on social media. Additionally, scammers lure victims with fake lottery messages via WhatsApp and online shopping schemes.
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Operation “Anti-Virus” Launched to Combat Fraud
Under the leadership of Bharatpur Range IG, an initiative called “Operation Anti-Virus” has been underway since March 1, 2024. So far, over 200 cases have been registered, and more than 700 individuals have been arrested. Police claim a 69% reduction in cybercrime cases by August, thanks to this operation.
How the Fraud Was Uncovered
According to IG Rahul Prakash, earlier investigations focused on analyzing the mobile IMEI numbers and SIM cards used by fraudsters. By linking these devices and cards to others used during the scams, the police were able to uncover the defrauded amounts.