Cyber complaint cell helps 149 fraud victims get back 37.44L

Nagpur: The Cyber Complaint Cell (C3) Unit attached to crime branch has successfully recovered Rs37,44,774 stolen from 149 victims by various online fraudsters since the unit was formed on May 20, 2017. The amount is said to be the fastest as well as the biggest recovery in the state.
In the first 47 days after the cell’s establishment, Rs9.50 lakh taken from 21 complainants were recovered. Later, in July, the state cyber conference was held in city when C3 unit was informed about WhatsApp group ‘Stop Banking Frauds’, consisting of nodal officers of all online companies and cyber cell officers from all districts in India as members. From C3, two officers were added to the group, and since then the time duration of recovering the defrauded amount has come down to 24 hours, with the maximum time taken being 22 days.

API Vishal Mane of C3, working under DCP, crime, Shweta Khedkar, said “The complainant don’t need to file any FIR copy or court order. They should inform us about the incident as soon as they can, or within 3 hours. So that we can put the fraud details in the WhatsApp group. Respective nodal officers, after verification, immediately stop delivery of products or withdrawal of the defrauded amount from the fraudsters’ account, and reverse the transaction, which might take more time.” Bank officials block the wallets used for online bill payment, recharge and bank transactions to reverse the amount.

A 50-year-old man from a poor background was duped of Rs50,000 in a bank fraud after he shared his OTP with a trickster. He immediately informed C3, and the cash was refunded. The C3 unit also ensured that a victim got back his due Rs3 from a private taxi service after the amount was unduly charged from him. In a recent case, a civil engineer got back Rs45,000 which he had transferred through online banking after being trapped by a miscreant.

C3 unit, which is a sophisticated version of the earlier cyber cell, ensured that amounts ranging from more than Rs6 lakh to Rs3 were recovered for the victims, who had approached the cops with their grievances.

Mane added that in spite of swift action, the transaction can be reversed only if it hasn’t been withdrawn by miscreants. He said that online shopping websites like Amazon and Flipkart have helped recover Rs1.98 lakh. Mane wants netizens to contact the cell on 0712-2566766 if anyone is duped in an online transaction.