Ballari witnessed cybercrime losses exceeding ₹70 crore in 2024, according to Santosh Chowan, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Cyber Police Station, Ballari. He noted that the actual losses may be much higher, as several victims avoid filing complaints due to fear of reputational harm.
He was addressing an awareness drive, Knockout Digital Fraud, organised by Bajaj Finance Ltd. in Ballari on Thursday as part of its 100-city campaign to spread awareness on online fraud and prevention. Retired DySP Sridhar Doddi also attended the programme.
Mr. Chowan described cybercrime as “a cancer eating into society,” pointing to a surge in scams such as “digital arrests.” He cited cases where two senior citizens, including a retired Income Tax officer, lost over ₹2 crore to online fraud.
“What is alarming is that many victims are educated professionals: doctors, professors, software engineers and teachers,” he added.
Warning against fraudsters misusing social media and AI, he said fake ads using the names of celebrities, politicians and business leaders have become routine. He urged citizens to stay alert and make use of the 1930 cybercrime helpline if unable to reach a police station.
At the programme, participants were briefed on common fraud types such as fake OTP scams, phishing, loan and pension fraud, and impersonation through social media and websites.
The campaign also highlighted the RBI’s 2024 fraud risk management guidelines for NBFCs, which stress early detection, accountability and public outreach.
Company’s Zonal Manager (Risk Containment Unit), Venkatesan V.S., said: “Consumer financial safety is our top priority. We issue advisories through multiple channels and conduct on-ground programmes to promote safe digital behaviour.”
The session concluded with practical tips, including not sharing OTPs or PINs, avoiding suspicious links, QR codes and emails, and refraining from downloading apps from unverified sources.