Dimapur and Kohima account for most reported cybercrime cases in Nagaland, with police warning against increasingly sophisticated online scams
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DIMAPUR — Dimapur and Kohima account for an estimated 80% to 85% of reported cybercrime cases in Nagaland, with scammers increasingly using social media, fake banking helplines, investment schemes and impersonation to target victims, according to the state cybercrime police.
Officer-in-Charge of Cyber Crime Police Station, PHQ, Kihika Chishi shared the figures during a media workshop titled “Vartalap”, organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Kohima, at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur, on Tuesday.
According to Chishi, most reported cybercrime cases in Nagaland involved individuals and included cheating, impersonation, financial fraud and various online scams.
Interaction between victims and cybercriminals, he said, was increasingly taking place through digital platforms, with scammers using methods such as smishing, phishing and vishing.
Smishing involves fraudulent SMS messages containing malicious links. Phishing uses fake emails or websites to obtain passwords, banking details or one-time passwords (OTPs). Vishing involves fraudulent calls in which scammers impersonate officials or other trusted persons.
Social media platforms are often the starting point for investment scams, Chishi said, with victims being lured by advertisements promising unusually high returns.
Also read: Cybercrime threats on the rise in Nagaland — NIELIT analyst
Citing a fake banking helpline case, Chishi shared that an elderly woman searching online for an SBI helpline number ended up contacting a scammer. After being asked to share OTPs on the pretext of resolving a banking issue, her account was emptied.
He advised people to use the helpline numbers printed on their bank cards or contact their banks directly instead of relying on numbers found through random internet searches.
Common online scams
On digital arrest scams, Chishi said fraudsters impersonated police officers, CBI or Enforcement Directorate officials, and other government representatives. Their modus operandi was to threaten victims with arrest over alleged misuse of their Aadhaar or SIM cards before pressuring them to pay money.
He also cautioned against deepfakes, WhatsApp account hacking, parcel scams and malicious loan applications. Scammers may obtain OTPs, take control of accounts and then contact friends and relatives to solicit money.
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Malicious loan applications, he said, could access users’ contacts and galleries. In some cases, scammers use stolen photographs to threaten victims with the circulation of morphed or obscene images, leading to sextortion.
Chishi also warned against investment and trading scams, dating scams and the use of “mule accounts” to transfer illicit funds.
He said that unsuspecting users could have their bank accounts frozen after being unknowingly drawn into money-laundering networks through online gaming.
The National Cybercrime Reporting Portal has a Grievance Redressal Module to address account-freezing complaints, he added. Individuals whose accounts have been frozen can approach their bank branch and request that their grievance be uploaded through the module.
Journalistic responsibility
Speaking on “Legal Perspective on Defamation and Journalistic Responsibilities”, Public Prosecutor, Dimapur, Temsunaro Jamir said defamation is now covered under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), replacing Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code.
She explained that criminal defamation may attract imprisonment of up to two years, a fine or community service. Defamation may also be pursued through civil proceedings seeking compensation.
In cases involving journalists or media organisations, complainants would generally have to establish that the statement was false or a distortion of facts, that the complainant was identifiable and that the publication caused reputational harm, Jamir said.
She identified truth and public good, fair and honest opinion, and privilege as important defences, depending on the circumstances.
Jamir stressed the need for journalists to verify information and maintain accuracy, fairness and impartiality, particularly when reporting on sensitive issues, crime victims and minors.
Dimapur Press Club President Henlly Phom Odyuo said cybercrime had emerged as a serious social issue in Nagaland and urged the Police department to streamline dissemination of information and updates to the media.
She pointed out that people who are duped online often approach the media before the police, making it important for journalists to report such cases without compromising investigations or legal requirements.
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