Government tackles digital arrest scams with multi-pronged approach

The Central Government is implementing a series of measures to combat the rising threat of cybercrimes, particularly digital arrest scams, as announced by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

Recognizing that ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are state subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, the responsibility for the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of crimes, including cybercrime, primarily falls on the State/Union Territory Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). The Central Government is providing support to these initiatives through advisories and financial assistance aimed at capacity building within the LEAs.

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes crime statistics in its annual “Crime in India” report. However, specific data on digital arrest scams is not separately maintained by the NCRB in its reporting

Key Initiatives to Combat Cybercrime:

To address cybercrimes, including the increasing prevalence of digital arrest scams, the Central Government has initiated several key steps:

Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C): The Ministry of Home Affairs has established the I4C as an attached office to coordinate efforts in dealing with all types of cybercrimes across the country.
Awareness Campaign: A comprehensive public awareness program has been launched to educate citizens about digital arrest scams. This campaign includes newspaper advertisements, announcements in Delhi Metros, social media engagement through influencers, Prasar Bharti and electronic media broadcasts, special programs on Aakashvani, and public outreach events like participation in the Raahgiri Function in Delhi.
Prime Minister's Address: The Hon'ble Prime Minister addressed the issue of digital arrests in the "Mann Ki Baat" episode on October 27, 2024, raising awareness among citizens.
Caller Tune Campaign: I4C, in collaboration with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has launched a caller tune campaign to promote cybercrime awareness and disseminate the Cyber Crime Helpline Number 1930 and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). This caller tune is also broadcast in regional languages by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) multiple times daily.
Proactive Blocking of Communication Channels: I4C has taken proactive measures to identify and block communication channels used for digital arrest scams, resulting in the blocking of more than 3,962 Skype IDs and 83,668 WhatsApp accounts.
Public Alert: The Central Government has issued a press release to alert the public against incidents of blackmail and digital arrest by cybercriminals impersonating officials from State/UT Police, NCB, CBI, RBI, and other Law Enforcement Agencies.
Blocking of Spoofed Calls: The Central Government and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have implemented a system to identify and block incoming international spoofed calls that display Indian mobile numbers but originate from outside India. Directions have been issued to TSPs for blocking such calls. As of February 28, 2025, more than 7.81 lakh SIM cards and 2,08,469 IMEIs reported by police authorities have been blocked.
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP): The NCRP (https://cybercrime.gov.in) has been launched as part of I4C to enable the public to report all types of cybercrimes, with a special focus on crimes against women and children. State/UT Law Enforcement Agencies handle incidents reported on this portal according to the law.
Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System: Launched in 2021, this system facilitates immediate reporting of financial frauds and helps prevent the siphoning off of funds by fraudsters. It has helped save more than Rs. 4,386 Crore in over 13.36 lakh complaints. The toll-free Helpline number 1930 is operational for assistance in lodging online cyber complaints.
Cybercrime Awareness: The Central Government is conducting various awareness campaigns, including SMS dissemination, I4C social media presence on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) (@CyberDost), Facebook (CyberDostI4C), Instagram (cyberDostI4C), and Telegram (cyberdosti4c), radio campaigns, MyGov publicity, Cyber Safety and Security Awareness weeks with States/UTs, publishing handbooks for adolescents and students, and digital displays at railway stations and airports.

These initiatives demonstrate the Central Government's commitment to addressing the growing challenge of cybercrime and protecting citizens from digital threats.

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