Delhi Police to make senior citizens, students aware of cyber crimes

Arya said senior citizens, housewives and college students complain about a specific type of cyber crime. “Senior citizens become victims of insurance-related fraud, wherein they get calls from criminals impersonating insurance agents who fleece them by doling out false schemes. Housewives become victims of bank frauds where criminals pretending to be bank employees ask their personal bank details,” she said.

The DCP said high school and college students often become victims of identity theft on social media websites and online blackmail.

“We receive complaints of morphed photos and videos. Sometimes, they are of a sexual nature. Cyber hygiene is important, and this is the point of the programme,” she said.

In the awareness programme, all stakeholders — including banks and cyber law experts— will be asked to participate, so that they can tell users how to protect themselves from such frauds, Arya said.

“Be it a slew of cases about child kidnapping rumours a few months ago or the mysterious ‘braid cutter’ cases across Delhi and UP, the programme aims to teach people to separate facts from rumours. These rumours cause panic, which can further escalate a situation. We want to counter fake news,” she said.