AHMEDABAD: In the era of digital dominance, Gujarat has increasingly become a target for cybercriminals. This has been confirmed by the Future Crime Research Foundation (FCRF), an organization spearheaded by the IIT Kanpur. A white paper by FCRF reveals that Ahmedabad and Surat are evolving into the nation’s newest cybercrime hotspots.
This exhaustive report meticulously analyzed cybercrime incidents reported nationwide between January 2020 and June 2023, unearthing 83 small towns and cities across 18 states rapidly morphing into cybercrime hubs.
The study zeroed in on three primary reasons behind this worrying trend.
Poor KYC and verification process, recruitment and training to unemployed or underemployed individuals and use of virtual private networks (VPNs) that provide anonymity to criminals online were identified as three major reasons for the proliferation of cybercriminals in towns and cities,” the FCRF report observes.
“Over the past 16 months, there has been a rise in taskbased and mobile app-based investments. The Ahmedabad police have identified members of gangs involved in fraudulent activities, which have resulted in substantial losses for unsuspecting victims. These pan-Indian gangs, which also have members in Gujarat, are at the centre of investigations,” says a senior police official.
A 51-year-old man from Isanpur, on September 11, was duped of Rs 2.50 crore through a ‘task fraud’. The FIR mentions that Jayesh Vakil was contacted by a woman named ‘Sameeksha’ on Telegram, and lured him by offering task-related remunerations.
The IIT-Kanpur report also shed light on the prevalence of emerging cybercrime hotspots nationwide. West Bengal had the highest number, 14 towns and cities, on the list. Uttar Pradesh followed closely with 11 towns, some of which, like Domakhas Maharajganj and Jevar, were unheard of. The most common types of cybercrime identified in the study included online financial fraud, hacking, and impersonation.
In addition to cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, these emerging cybercrime hotspots have become areas of concern. “These hotspots represent regions where digital criminal activities are on the rise, catching law enforcement agencies and the public off guard,” the FCRF report observes.
Courtsey:(BY:Ashish Chauhan & Nimesh Khakhariya) Times of India
(Image Credit: IT Supply Chain)
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This doesn’t bode well for a progressive prosperous state like Gujarat. Such criminals should be hounded out also over reliance of locals on mobiles and WhatsApp even for contractual stuff is mind boggling. It is possible that human trafficking or forced labour maybe employed