Centre Cracks Down on Digital Arrest Scams: Over 6.6 Lakh SIM Cards Blocked, IMEI Numbers Disabled
 

In a major push to curb growing digital arrest scams in India, the Ministry of Home Affairs has been launching several robust initiatives to grapple with cybercrimes. The government has blocked more than 6.69 lakh SIM cards and over 1.32 lakh IMEI numbers as part of its efforts to mitigate cyber frauds, including digital arrest scams that have targeted vulnerable citizens.

A major step in strengthening the country's cybersecurity infrastructure, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, I4C, was set up by the government to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated response to all forms of cybercrime. The initiative focuses on enhancing the country's defenses against digital frauds, including fake digital arrests and other impersonation scams.

Among the major initiatives of I4C is the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System, launched in 2021. This system has been a boon for citizens as they can immediately report financial frauds, thereby preventing fraudsters from siphoning off the money. The government claims that more than Rs 3,431 crore has been saved through over 9.94 lakh complaints filed by citizens who have reported cyber frauds.

The government has also collaborated with telecom service providers (TSPs) to block international spoofed calls that seem to originate from within India. These fraudulent calls have been associated with fake digital arrests, FedEx scams, and impersonation of government and police officials. To address this issue, TSPs have been directed to identify and block such incoming international calls, enhancing the security of citizens.

Besides that, a Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre (CFMC) has been established at I4C. There, all banks, payment aggregators, telecom providers, and law enforcement agencies cooperate in taking immediate action against cybercrime. The suspect registry, which is also established along with banks and financial institutions, tracks cybercriminal identifiers for future fraud prevention.

In addition, the government has introduced the 'Report and Check Suspect' feature that enables users to search a repository of cybercriminal identifiers. It provides an option for 'Suspect Search' where one can verify suspicious activities associated with potential fraudsters.

With these developments, the government is committed to strengthening security measures so that individuals and institutions are protected from this growing threat of cybercrime in India.

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