Cyber fraud on rise during lockdown in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: With a significant surge in online transactions during the lockdown months, cyber frauds have also witnessed a spurt in the Capital city.Online frauds to the tune of Rs 83 lakh were reported in the city in June while the cyber cell officers of Bhubaneswar urban police district (UPD) have managed to refund/block Rs 16 lakh of the total amount. The cyber cell has received 229 complaints related to online fraud in June, 196 in May and 220 in April.

Similarly, cyber frauds amounting to Rs 70.78 lakh were reported in May of which, police have refunded/blocked Rs 12 lakh. While citizens lost Rs 74 lakh to cyber criminals in April, police succeeded in refunding/blocking Rs 5.36 lakh.About 93 unified payments interface (UPI) and 77 credit card frauds took place in June. While 63 UPI and 48 credit card frauds were reported in May, the figures in April were 68 and 55 respectively.

DCP Umashankar Dash said while the cyber help desk is checking the online frauds, property offences prevention and detection teams at every police station are dealing with crimes like robbery, snatching, dacoity, theft, among others.. “Twenty one habitual offenders were booked in June, 23 in May and 27 in April. In the last three months, 350 habitual offenders have been nabbed,” he added.

Police also seized 344 stolen mobile phones, 115 vehicles, 534 gram gold ornaments, Rs 13.77 lakh cash, and other articles during the period.On Friday, a woman of Nayapalli lodged a complaint with cyber police alleging that cyber criminals looted Rs 60,000 on the pretest of updating her father-in-law’s SIM card documents.