Investigations into cyber frauds in IT capital remains a challenge for the police

Despite eight Cybercrime, Economic Offences and Narcotics (CEN) police stations, apart from a cybercrime police station under Central Crime Branch in Bengaluru, investigations are severely hampered by lack of adequate staff and funds, besides technical challenges

“Dear CUSTOMAR, your electricity power will be disconnected to night at 9.30 pm from electricity office because your previous month bill was not updated. Please immediately contact with our electricity officer 9693325442 Thank you.” (sic)

This has become a familiar message in Bengaluru over the last few months. Many gullible Bescom customers have become victims of phishing attacks. Wg. Cdr. Kurian Cherian (Retd) learnt it the hard way after losing money to such an attack, despite not sharing the OTP with the caller. Another customer, Chowda Reddy, faced the wrath of the fraudster for not falling prey — the fraudster hacked into his phone and posted lewd messages on WhatsApp groups Mr. Reddy was a member of.

After hundreds of such cases were registered with the cybercrime police in Bengaluru, the city police and Bescom have launched awareness campaigns. However, not a single case has been cracked and the sleuths seem to be groping in the dark, at least as yet.

The Bescom bill scam saga, just one of the hundreds of modus operandi employed by fraudsters to cheat gullible citizens, seems a familiar story for cybercrime victims in the State.

The State police closed investigations into 12,552 cases and city police 11,383 cases in 2021, stating that though the incidents did happen, there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute anyone. Of the 6,841 cases that went for trial, there were only 10 convictions in the State and one in the city. A majority of them — 5,497 cases — were disposed of before trial since victims were not keen or they settled or they did not turn up.

“In many cases, the quantum of financial loss will be lower than the cost it takes to investigate them. Most of the fraudsters will be holed up in remote northern states and sending teams to probe such cases doesn’t make sense. We are already cash-strapped. In such cases, we have closed investigations,” said a senior official.

Despite eight Cybercrime, Economic Offences and Narcotics (CEN) police stations, apart from a cybercrime police station under the Central Crime Branch in Bengaluru, which reports 80% of cybercrimes reported in the State, investigations are severely marred by lack of adequate staff and funds, apart from technical challenges.