Gujarat: Cyber crime rises by 200 per cent in state, 8000 children cheated while studying online in six months

Ahmedabad: Most school collges are offering online classes during the Covid-19 outbreak period. However, with the introduction of online studies, there has been a 200 per cent increase in cyber crime cases. This means, children and teenagers are the soft target for cyber criminals. With the increase in online activity in the last six months, the elderly are also becoming the biggest victims of cyber crime along with children and teenagers. Besides, Ahmedabad has the highest number of cyber crime cases in the state. Statistically, a total of 14,300 cyber crime complaints have been registered online or offline till October this year.

The number of young victims is higher
Most of the information regarding these complaints is given to the cyber cell verbally or over the phone. That means FIRs are much less registered. The figure is more than 14,000 cases from February to October. Only children, teenagers and the elderly are targeted in 57.6% of cyber crime cases. That is 8092 complaints in which the victims are young and very old.

From June to August, 353 cases were reported
In Gujarat, 290 FIRs have been registered in the cyber crime department from February to March and 133 cases have been solved. From June to August, 353 cases were reported, which is almost three times as many, with only 145 solved so far. Similarly, out of 945 FIRs from January to October, 370 i.e. 39.2% have got positive results.

Understand from these two cases how children are being deceived.
1.40 lakh fraud by morphing a photo of a 15-year-old girl
A 15-year-old girl Shalu (name has been changed) was approached by cyber criminals with a fake ID. He later started contacting the number, then the hackers removed the photo from that ID and morphed it. She was blackmailed by showing this photo and after contacting her four times, Rs 1.40 lakh was robbed from her. Eventually fed up with the demand for money, the girl informed her parents and lodged a complaint. The fraud has since stopped, but no arrests have yet been made in the case.

Sent a link of a game and took the mobile on remote
In Ahmedabad, 16-year-old Ashok (name has been changed) got into the habit of playing games. While online gaming, a stranger called and offered to increase the limit of digital payment account. The hacker then installed remote desktop software in the teenager’s mobile. As Ashok installed the app, the caller took the mobile on remote. The child had the father’s mobile, which had the information related to banking. The criminals then withdrew Rs. 8.95 lakh.

2500 people saved from the fraud by freezing a total of Rs 5.62 crore
In Gujarat, more than 2500 people have so far spent a total of Rs. 5.62 crore have been saved from fraud by freezing. There are 14% cases of Paytm fraud, 13% cases of fake identity. According to cyber cell sources, we can save a lot of people’s money, but most people just give information, don’t file FIRs. Later their contact becomes difficult. With people’s support, cyber crime can be reduced.

Children are soft targets, no complaints are registered
“After the lockdown, most of the children have got mobiles,” said Bharat Singh Tank, deputy commissioner of cyber crime. They engage in gaming along with online study. Criminals take full advantage of it. In games like Teen Patti, Counter Strike, GTA, children are easily deceived in the name of cheat code and passing to the next level. Victim children also do not provide enough information to the family. As a result, no complaints are registered.