The Cyber Crime Investigation Centre for Excellence (CICE), Kashmir has traced a total of rupees 4.93 crore linked to various online fraud cases this year, officials said on Tuesday.
Of the total amount, Rs 2.80 crore has been recovered, while Rs 2.13 crore has been kept on hold and will be returned to the victims after completion of the required legal formalities.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a Cyber Awareness Session at Nitian’s Career Institute, Hawal Srinagar, DySP Ashiq Hussain Malik, said that public awareness and timely reporting remain the most effective tools to combat rising cybercrimes. “In today’s digital age, everyone, including students, traders and professionals, carries a gadget and is therefore vulnerable to cyber fraud. The only real defence is awareness,” Malik said, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
He said cyber fraud cases are scattered across the Valley and not limited to any specific area, like Downtown or Civil Lines. “There is no hotspot for online fraud. It is widespread and growing with the expansion of digital access,” he added.
DySP Malik said that reluctance or delay in lodging complaints helps fraudsters escape detection. “Every online fraud leaves behind a digital footprint. We can trace emails, SIMs, IMEI numbers and connected accounts, but we need victims to come forward in time,” he said.
According to the officer, cyber police in Kashmir have managed to recover rupees 2.80 crore from scammers so far this year, while another rupees 2.13 crore has been frozen in various accounts and will be transferred back to the rightful owners once legal processes conclude.
The DySP warned youngsters against the use of online betting apps, saying such platforms have been banned by the government and their use now amounts to a cognisable offence.
“If anyone is found using these money-based betting apps, FIRs will be registered. Teenagers often assume they can’t be traced online, but every activity leaves a digital trace,” he said.
Malik mentioned other emerging online threats such as blackmailing, harassment and misuse of social media, saying young people often act in haste without realising the legal and personal consequences.
He urged parents to encourage their children to seek help instead of hiding such issues. “We treat every case sensitively and assure privacy to both male and female victims. Keeping silent only worsens the problem,” he said.
Addressing speculation about organised cybercrime operations in the Valley, the DySP clarified that ‘no illegal call centres’ have been detected in Kashmir. “We have not received a single complaint or found evidence of such setups. However, outside J&K, particularly in states like Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, such networks do exist,” he said.
Malik said that although fraudsters frequently change SIM cards, devices and locations after each scam, their digital footprints ultimately lead investigators to them.
The officer said awareness, caution and cooperation with cybercrime police are the only ways to prevent and recover from digital fraud. “Cyber safety starts with awareness. If people act swiftly and responsibly, we can trace the fraudsters and save their money,” he said—(KNO)
