Lok Sabha Question No. 2426 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-10
Subject: Digital Arrest Scam
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Smt. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2426

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH  DECEMBER, 2024/ AGRAHAYANA 19, 1946

(SAKA)

DIGITAL ARREST SCAM

2426.     SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the total number of 'digital arrest scam' cases reported in the country, State/year-wise;

(b)  the  oversight  mechanisms  beyond  CERT-In  advisory  guidelines  to prosecute offenders in such cases; and

(c)  the  safeguards  implemented  by  the  Government  to  prevent  digital arrest scams?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI BANDI SANJAY KUMAR)

(a) to (c): 'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  as  per  the Seventh  Schedule  of  the  Constitution  of  India.  The  States/UTs  are primarily  responsible  for  the  prevention,  detection,  investigation  and prosecution  of  crimes  including  cyber  crime  and  digital  arrest  scams through their Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). The Central Government supplements  the  initiatives  of  the  States/UTs  through  advisories  and financial assistance under various schemes for capacity building of their LEAs.

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes the  statistical  data  on  crimes in  its  publication  'Crime in India'. The

latest published report is for the year 2022. Specific data regarding digital arrest scams is not maintained separately by NCRB.

To  strengthen  the  mechanism  to  deal  with  cyber  crimes  including digital  arrest  scams  in  a  comprehensive  and  coordinated  manner,  the Central Government  has  taken  steps which, inter-alia, include the following:

- i. The  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  set  up  the  'Indian  Cyber  Crime Coordination  Centre'  (I4C)  as  an  attached  office  to  deal  with  all types of cybercrimes in the country, in a coordinated and comprehensive manner.
- ii. The Central Government has launched a comprehensive awareness programme  on digital arrest scams  which, inter-alia, include; newspaper  advertisement,  announcement  in  Delhi  Metros,  use  of social media influencers to create special posts, campaign through Prasar Bharti and electronic media, special programme on Aakashvani  and  participated  in  Raahgiri  Function  at  Connaught Place, New Delhi on 27.11.2024.
- iii. I4C proactively identify and blocked more than 1700 Skype IDs and 59,000 Whatsapp accounts used for Digital Arrest.
- iv. The  Central  Government  has  published  a  Press  Release  on  Alert against incidents of 'Blackmail' and 'Digital Arrest' by Cyber Criminals  Impersonating  State/UT  Police,  NCB,  CBI,  RBI  and  other Law Enforcement Agencies.

- The Central Government and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have devised  a  system  to  identify  and  block  incoming  international Indian  mobile  numbers  appear  to  be originating within India. Such international spoofed calls have been made by cyber-criminals  in  recent cases of fake digital  arrests, FedEx scams, impersonation as government and police officials, etc. Directions  have  been  issued  to  the  TSPs  for  blocking  of  such
- v. spoofed  calls displaying incoming international spoofed calls.
- vi. Till 15.11.2024, more than 6.69 lakhs SIM cards and 1,32,000 IMEIs as reported by Police authorities have been blocked by Government of India.
- vii. The 'National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal' (https://cybercrime.gov.in) has been launched, as a part of the I4C, to enable public to report incidents pertaining to all types of cyber crimes,  with  special  focus  on  cyber  crimes  against  women  and children. Cyber crime incidents reported on this portal, their conversion into FIRs and subsequent action thereon are handled by the  State/UT  Law  Enforcement  Agencies  concerned  as  per  the provisions of the law.
- viii. The  'Citizen  Financial  Cyber  Fraud  Reporting  and  Management System', under I4C, has been launched in year 2021 for immediate reporting of financial frauds and to stop  siphoning  off  funds  by the

fraudsters. So far, financial amount of more than Rs. 3431 Crore has been saved in more than 9.94 lakh complaints. A toll-free Helpline number '1930' has been operationalized to get assistance in lodging online cyber complaints.

- ix. To spread awareness on cyber crime, the Central Government has taken steps  which, inter-alia,  include;  dissemination  of  messages through  SMS,  I4C  social  media  account  i.e.  X  (formerly  Twitter) (@CyberDost),  Facebook(CyberDostI4C),  Instagram  (cyberDostI4C), Telegram(cyberdosti4c), Radio campaign, engaged MyGov for publicity in multiple mediums, organizing Cyber Safety and Security Awareness  weeks  in  association  with  States/UTs,  publishing  of Handbook  for  Adolescents/Students,  digital  displays  on  railway
2. stations and airports across, etc.

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