Rise in cases reported on national cyber crime portal

CHENNAI: The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) has registered about 1,376 cases in the last six months in connection with online scams wherein unassuming public were conned by fraudsters who floated fake profiles of bureaucrats and influential people in society and usurped money.

Citing the statistics, Tamil Nadu Police termed it an alarming rise and appealed to the public to be wary of such cyber criminals.

“These scams often commence with cyber criminals collecting information about individuals through their social media accounts. Using the information, they meticulously craft fake profiles on social media platforms such as Facebook, X (Twitter) mirroring the identity of popular personalities, “ an official release stated.

From emergency medical expenses to unexpected legal troubles or fabricated philanthropic initiatives, scammers employ such psychological tactics to heighten the sense of urgency, stated Additional Director General of Police, Cyber Crime, Sanjay Kumar.

The ADGP appealed to follow safety measures such as cross-verification of any unusual requests directly with the person involved, using trusted contact information such as known email addresses or official phone numbers and regularly update passwords, enable two-factor authentication

“Review privacy settings on social media to minimise the risk of unauthorised access. Be aware of the latest scams and educate yourself on tactics employed by cyber criminals, “ the release added.