You miss, they hit: Rs 452 crore lost to cyber cons in Delhi in 6 months

NEW DELHI: There was a 158% increase in the amount siphoned off from people's accounts by scammers this year over last year. Delhi Police data reveals that people were duped of Rs 452 crore in online cyber scams till June this year compared with Rs 175 crore in the same period last year.
Investigators revealed that fraudsters were employing increasingly sophisticated tactics to evade detection and launder stolen funds. One common strategy involves dispersing the stolen money across numerous digital wallets, making it difficult for law enforcement to trace the original source of the funds. This rapid dispersal prevents the cops from focusing on the primary account from which the money was originally sent.

To further complicate matters, the criminals often withdraw the funds through multiple ATMs, further obscuring the money trail. Additionally, they exploit the bank accounts of vulnerable individuals, such as those living in poverty or with limited financial literacy.
By offering small sums of money, they acquire access to these accounts and use them as conduits for transferring the stolen funds.
"Even if the investigators follow the money trail and reach the account holder, they will never get to know who the real mastermind of the scam is. The person who allowed the use of his or her bank account get arrested," one investigator said.
Another officer said, "The fraudsters also transfer funds to their overseas associates by converting the stolen money into cryptocurrency or purchasing gift cards." This method allows them to move funds across borders and circumvent traditional banking systems.
A senior officer said that during various investigations, police found that the scammers adopt different modus operandi to obtain bank accounts.
"They approach villagers who live in remote areas and are illiterate. Citing the names of various benefit schemes, they ask such villagers to open bank accounts, promising them financial benefits. As soon as the accounts are opened, the scammers obtain the account details by offering them small amounts of money. These details are then sold to other scammers, both domestic and international," the officer revealed.
The city has witnessed a surge in cybercrime cases, with a wide range of illicit activities being reported, according to police data. There was a 11% increase in cyber complaints filed this year over the complaints last year - 61,525 complaints received till June this year.
In 2023, from Jan to June, the National Cyber Complaint Portal recorded a staggering 55,267 complaints, highlighting the pervasive nature of cyber threats.
These cases encompass a broad spectrum of digital offenses, including digital extortion, investment fraud, cryptocurrency scams, cyberterrorism, hacking, phishing, identity theft, and various other malicious activities.
Police have noted that the perpetrators of these crimes are becoming increasingly sophisticated, using advanced tactics and technologies to target unsuspecting victims and exploit vulnerabilities in digital systems.
The cops said that victims of fraud should immediately contact cyber helpline Number 1930, report the incident to National Cybercrime Reporting Portal or visit their local cyber police station.
"The swift action of victims in reporting the fraud on cyber helpline 1930 can result in the timely freezing of the cheated amount," an officer said.