Agartala: Residents of Tripura have collectively lost Rs. 51.49 crore to cyber fraud since 2021, Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Dhankar revealed on Saturday during a programme on cybercrime awareness.
According to Dhankar, cybercrime has seen a sharp financial surge despite efforts to curb it. “In 2021, losses stood at Rs. 1.98 crore. By 2024, this figure had skyrocketed to Rs. 25.54 crore,” he said.
So far, 269 individuals in the state have fallen victim to online scams. While law enforcement has managed to recover Rs. 33.84 lakh, an additional Rs. 5.76 crore remains blocked in 20,387 frozen bank accounts linked to fraudulent activities.
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Highlighting the tactics of cybercriminals, Dhankar said scams often involve fake electricity and gas bills, fraudulent investment offers, impersonation of law enforcement or tax officials, OTP theft, social media harassment, online lottery schemes, and fraud through hotel booking platforms.
He warned citizens against deceptive social media advertisements promising ‘work from home’ jobs and urged caution while downloading apps or sharing sensitive information online.
“People should install only essential apps, create strong passwords, and update them regularly,” the DGP advised.
