The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Kerala Police have launched “RBI Reelathon 2026”, a multi-phase awareness campaign aimed at engaging college students in the fight against cyber financial frauds across Kerala. The initiative was launched in Thiruvananthapuram amid growing concerns over the rise of cyber-enabled financial crimes and the increasing targeting of young people through digital platforms and social engineering techniques.
Speaking at the launch, Kerala Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar described cyber fraud as a serious social challenge affecting all sections of society. He said cybercrime was no longer merely a technological issue but a broader societal problem with far-reaching consequences, noting that victims often suffer emotional distress and trauma in addition to financial losses.
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Cyber Fraud Emerges as a Growing Social Challenge
Chandrasekhar warned that cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting public trust and growing dependence on digital platforms to target unsuspecting individuals. He highlighted several emerging threats, including fraudulent investment schemes, digital arrest scams, illegal loan applications, fake job offers and mule account networks.
The police chief stressed that cyber fraud has evolved into a widespread concern requiring greater public awareness and active participation from communities, particularly young people who are among the most frequent users of digital platforms.
Focus on Awareness and Early Reporting
Emphasising the importance of timely intervention, Chandrasekhar referred to the “golden hour” in cybercrime reporting and urged citizens to report incidents promptly through official channels. According to him, quick reporting significantly improves the chances of freezing fraudulent transactions and recovering lost funds.
He also encouraged students to act as cyber safety ambassadors and use their creativity and social influence to spread awareness about online fraud. The best awareness content generated through the initiative, he said, would be promoted through Kerala Police’s official social media platforms.
RBI Reelathon 2026 to Engage Students Across Kerala
According to the organisers, RBI Reelathon 2026 will be implemented in three phases. The first phase will focus on awareness programmes covering smart borrowing practices and safe digital banking habits in around 150 colleges across Kerala.
During the second phase, students will create and submit short videos and reels on issues such as illegal loan applications, mule accounts, cyber financial frauds and cyber hygiene. Entries will undergo multiple rounds of evaluation before selected teams compete in a grand finale later this year. The top three winners will receive cash prizes of ₹75,000, ₹50,000 and ₹25,000 respectively.
In the final phase, the winning awareness content will be disseminated through the official social media platforms of the RBI, Kerala Police, banks, colleges and partner institutions to expand public outreach and encourage greater vigilance against cyber fraud.
The inaugural programme was attended by Banking Ombudsman for Kerala and Lakshadweep E B Chindan, SBI Kerala Circle Chief General Manager K V Bangaraju, heads of major public sector banks, principals of leading colleges and senior RBI officials. The campaign seeks to mobilise students as partners in spreading cyber safety awareness and strengthening public resilience against financial fraud.
