The Bhilwara Police have emerged as the state’s most effective cybercrime responders, recovering over ₹2.1 crore lost to online fraud between January 1 and October 31, 2025, according to official data.
With 12 FIRs and 169 complaints investigated this year, Bhilwara now ranks first in Rajasthan for successful recovery of funds siphoned through cyber scams — a rare achievement in a country where most victims never see their money again.
“This is the result of close coordination between the cyber police, banks, and victims who report incidents promptly,” said Uday Singh Chundawat, in charge of the district’s Cyber Police Station. “The sooner victims alert us, the greater the chance of freezing fraudulent transactions.”
The WhatsApp Wedding Link Scam
Among the most notable cases was an October incident targeting more than 150 members of a local women’s WhatsApp group. The group was compromised after members downloaded a fraudulent PDF wedding invitation link that turned out to be malware.
The attack locked members out of their WhatsApp accounts, disabling messaging functions but retaining call access — a technique designed to spread the malicious file to new contacts.
“Luckily, some members noticed the issue early and froze their bank accounts before funds could be withdrawn,” Chundawat said. “It was a community-led response that helped prevent financial losses.”
In a related case, another resident who downloaded a similar “wedding invite” link saw her PhonePe account hacked and PIN changed, though the bank’s internal security system blocked any transfer.
Recovering What’s Lost — And Building Awareness
The Bhilwara Cyber Police attribute their record recovery rate to a multi-agency response model that links police control rooms directly with bank fraud monitoring units and payment gateways.
Within minutes of a fraud report, local officers send “stop payment” requests through the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS) — the national platform connected to helpline 1930.
“We focus on recovery first, investigation next,” said a senior officer. “Time is the key variable in cybercrime — every hour counts.”
Police have also been conducting awareness drives in schools, women’s groups, and small businesses, explaining how malicious links, phishing messages, and fake QR codes lead to financial compromise.
A Model for Other Districts
Bhilwara’s success story contrasts sharply with national trends: as per NCRB data, less than 15% of digital fraud losses are recovered across India. Officials from other Rajasthan districts are now studying Bhilwara’s model to replicate its fast-response and community-alert systems.
“Public vigilance remains our strongest defense,” Chundawat emphasized. “Never click suspicious links, even if they come from a familiar number.”
The district’s cyber police have also urged residents to use official apps for payments and government communication instead of unverified links circulated on social media.
