Telangana’s Cyber Security Director, Shikha Goyal, has raised alarms about the growing cyber crime threat in South Asia. Her warning comes on the heels of a major cybercrime bust in the region.

South Asian countries are rapidly becoming hotspots for cyber criminals. In a concerning trend, these criminals are shifting their operations from cities to villages to evade detection. The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau recently conducted its first inter-state operation, targeting a Rajasthan-based gang that had been preying on Telangana residents.

The operation lasted 20 days and resulted in the arrest of 27 cybercriminals. This gang was responsible for a staggering 189 cases in Telangana alone, and 2,223 cases across India. Authorities managed to recover 9 crore rupees from the Telangana cases, while the total amount involved in their cybercrimes reached 11.01 crore rupees.

These criminals employed sophisticated methods, using 29 fake accounts to carry out their illegal activities. Their targets included some of the most vulnerable members of society: unemployed individuals, poor people, and government employees.

During the bust, police seized valuable evidence including 31 mobile phones, 37 SIM cards, 13 ATM cards, 7 checkbooks, and 2 hard disks. These items provide crucial insights into the scale and methods of their operations.

In light of these events, Director Goyal emphasized the importance of online safety. She advises all internet users to exercise caution, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and immediately contact the police if they suspect they’ve encountered cybercrime.

-Sanyogita