TN public loses over Rs 1,600 cr, register 1.27 lakh cybercrime complaints

CHENNAI: Highlighting the growing trend of cybercrimes, Tamil Nadu Police’s Cyber Crime Wing stated that the public in Tamil Nadu had registered 1.27 lakh complaints in the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) last year, out of which 4,326 FIRs (First Information Report) and 79,449 CSRs (Community Service Registers) were generated.

In 2024, victims in TN had lost Rs ,1673.85 crore to cyber criminals. TN police stated that they had managed to freeze Rs 772 crore of the stolen money and managed to return Rs 83.3 crore to the victims after the legal recourse.

“In 2024, there were 838 arrests, with 34 individuals detained under the Goondas Act,” a release stated. According to an official release from the State Police headquarters, last year, the control room received over 2.68 lakh calls, and registered 34,392 complaints on the 1930 helpline.

The headquarters in Ashok Nagar comprises the State Cyber Command Centre (SCCC), which manages the helpline, handles blocking of SIM cards, IMEIs, and illicit content, URLs and social media accounts. The State Cyber Crime Investigation Centre (SCCIC) focuses on probing significant cybercrime cases and oversees cybercrime investigations.

Additionally, 54 Cyber Crime Police Stations (CCPS) are functioning in all districts and cities across the State. All police stations now have a dedicated Cyber Support Officer to assist the public and law enforcement in addressing cybercrime incidents.

The state Cyber Crime wing also blocked 19,359 SIM cards and multiple fraudulent platforms, including 54 websites, 390 YouTube videos, 922 Facebook profiles, and 64 Instagram pages after liaising with concerned authorities.

Tamil Nadu police have appealed to the public to be careful while speaking to strangers online. Dial Cyber Crime Toll-free helpline 1930 or register a complaint at www.cybercrime.gov.in immediately after you’ve been scammed.