In a bid to address the emerging cyber frauds, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has established 10 new cyber cells in the Jammu region. According to PTI, one cell has been set up in each district during the early months of 2024 in the region. The aim behind these district cells is to ensure effective and efficient handling of cyber crimes at a local level and assist people at their doorstep.
The officials were trained in two phases to equip them to handle cybercrime cases and capacity building through various refresher courses in the future. As per PTI, telecom services were also trained by the cyber police station in Jammu to handle cyber crimes effectively, to support these newly created district cyber cells.
The district cells will address various money-related frauds such as Know Your Customer (KYC) updates, pending electricity bill fraud (PDD fraud), investment-related fraud, fake loan app fraud, and social media cases like cheating and cases related to the transmission of obscene material on various social media platforms, officials told PTI.
"Since the establishment of the district cyber cells, an amount of Rs 68,34,619 has been put on hold and lien marked, and an amount of Rs 21,85,702 has been refunded to the victims. Regarding social media cases, a number of issues have been resolved," they told PTI.
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The cyber police station serves as a resource hub in the entire Jammu Zone, offering training, refresher courses, and all possible assistance to the newly created district cyber cells.
Kashmir Cops Bust Mule Account
On Tuesday, Kashmir Zone Cyber Police Station in Srinagar investigated a new modus operandi where people set up mule bank accounts for cyber fraudsters for the receipt, and transfer of unlawfully obtained funds.
"Such activities are pivotal to organised fraud operations targeting vulnerable segments of the society, including homemakers, the economically disadvantaged, auto-rickshaw drivers, labourers, and local vendors," the statement said as per IANS.
In a statement, the police said that the perpetrators who operate from outside Jammu and Kashmir, lured potential victims through emails, chatrooms or social media, and offered them incentives for renting their bank accounts.
The victims will unknowingly help in illegal transactions through these muleback accounts, by sending the money to the criminal’s main accounts, it added.
The Cyber police filed an FIR and inquiries have revealed that several mule accounts operate in various districts of Kashmir Zone, with transactions totalling crores of rupees.