Cybercrimes rising rapidly, awareness key to remain secure: SSP CICE J&K

Budgam, Apr 21: Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Cybercrime Investigation Centre for Excellence (CICE), J&K, Ramnish Gupta (JKPS) on Tuesday said cybercrime cases are increasing with each passing day. He called for greater public awareness and timely reporting.
Talking to media persons during an awareness programme about cybercrime at Government Degree College (GDC) Chararisharief, Gupta said that with widespread internet usage, people are increasingly vulnerable to online frauds and must understand both the methods used by fraudsters and ways to safeguard themselves.
“Everyone is using the internet and is susceptible to cyber fraud. People must stay informed about different types of fraud and adopt preventive measures,” he said.
The officer stressed the importance of reporting cyber financial frauds immediately on the national helpline 1930, saying that early reporting enables authorities to trace transactions and prevent financial losses.
“The sooner a fraud is reported, the faster our system can act to place a lien on the money and possibly save the victim’s hard-earned income,” he said.
Gupta warned about the growing misuse of “mule accounts”, where bank accounts are operated by fraudsters, often without the knowledge of the actual account holder. “Mule accounts are used to park stolen money. In many cases, the account holder is unaware that their account is being misused,” he said.
Advising caution, he urged citizens not to share sensitive documents such as Aadhaar, PAN or bank details with anyone and to regularly monitor their bank accounts for suspicious activity.
“If anyone suspects unauthorised activity in their account, they should immediately report it on 1930,” he added.
Emphasising responsible internet usage, SSP Gupta said, “The internet is for your use—don’t let it use you. Use it wisely and avoid falling prey to misinformation and fraud.”