Bhubaneaswar: Even as the Odisha CM Mohan Majhi has recently stated in State Assembly that cyber fraud transaction amount has grown 5-times in 2024 vis-a-vis 2023, the bigger fact to fore is State cyber sleuths could put a lien on only a fraction of the fraudulent transaction amount. The recovery rate remains a fraction only. It seems cyber fraudsters have a field day in the State.
Sample the following.
As per data available with National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, since its inception in 2019, a total of 75,274 cyber fraud incidents have been registered in the State. The NCRO put the cyber fraud transation amount in the State at a whopping around Rs 583.76 cr.
While the total incidents of the cyber frauds in the country has been at 38.22 lakh, Odisha accounts for nearly 2% (1.97) of the cases nationally.
The NCRP data shows Odisha has figured among the top-15 states with higher incidences of cyber frauds in the country. The states list is given below.
- Uttar Pradesh – 6.307lakh
- Maharashtra – 4.276lakh
- Gujarat – 3.677 lakh
- Rajasthan – 2.677lakh
- Karnataka – 2.52lakk
- Telangana – 2.41 lakh
- Haryana – 2.1lakh
- Delhi – 2.054 lakh
- Tamil Nadu – 1.85 lakh
- West Bengal – 1.53 lakh
- Bihar – 1.49 lakh
- Andhra Pradesh – 1.13 lakh
- Kerala – 83.945K
- Odisha – 75.274K
WHY THE UPTICK?
A look at the fraudulent transactions amount and the lien in amount tells the big tale.
In Odisha, when the fraudulent transaction amount stood at Rs 583.76 cr, the lien in amount stood at a mere 10.6% or Rs 59.95 cr only. The national average stood at 12.8 percent. This shows Odisha is faring below the national average.
And the refunded amount stood at a measly Rs 96.89 lakh.
The gap between value of transaction amount and lien and refunded is the reason behind soaring cycber fraud in the State. It seems the perpetrators of cyber frauds give a slip to the cyber sleuths.
WHY LIEN AMOUNT LOW?
As per a top police official, the low lien in amount has been attributed to reason of fraudsters operating multiple transactions using various accounts, which is proving a complex web for the State cyber sleuths to crack at the earliest.
According to the official, cyber fraudsters are using innovative transaction methods to avoid freezing of accounts. They make small transactions via multiple accounts, thereby, making it tougher for the investigating agencies to detect the entire gamut of accounts.
The reason behind this complex web is also attributed to cross border transactions. As the fraudsters operate across the border, it makes the tracking and detection very hard, he added.
“It is for the hurdles, the refunded amount in Odisha stood at mere 0.1% of the fraud amount."
Therefore, the best solution to cyber crime lies in prvention, and towards this end, MHA guidelines advise for having secure online transactions.
