Cyber Crime
I4C and DoT ka Digital Strike – 17,000 Whatsapp Accounts Blocked
In a significant move against cyber fraud, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in collaboration with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has blocked over 17,000 WhatsApp accounts linked to cybercrime networks operating from countries like Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar.
The operation was launched after numerous complaints were filed by victims through online platforms, highlighting the growing threat of digital fraud.
According to sources, the flagged accounts were carefully reviewed and subsequently blocked following directives issued to WhatsApp by the MHA. Investigations revealed that these accounts were connected to fraudulent call centres often linked to Chinese casinos in Cambodia, which serve as hubs for organized cybercrime.
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Over 50% of these accounts had been active since January 2024 and were primarily used to deceive Indian citizens through scams.
These fraudsters employed tactics like “digital arrests,” where they impersonated officials from agencies such as the CBI, income tax department, or customs to intimidate victims into transferring large sums of money.
Disturbingly, the investigations also uncovered a connection between these scams and human trafficking, with Indian citizens lured to Cambodia under false job offers and coerced into conducting online financial frauds.
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Reports indicate that scammers siphon approximately Rs 6 crore daily, with losses amounting to Rs 2,140 crore in the first ten months of 2024 alone. Alarmed by the scale of the menace, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently issued a public advisory, urging citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the national cybercrime helpline.
This coordinated crackdown by I4C and DoT is expected to significantly disrupt these cybercrime networks and enhance digital safety in India.
