Lok Sabha Question No. 2814 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-03
Subject: Cyber Fraud
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: DODDAALAHALLI KEMPEGOWDA SURESH, RAMESH BIDHURI, ALOK SANJAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2814

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 03.08.2016

## CYBER FRAUD

## 2814 SHRI  D.K.  SURESH:  SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI:  SHRI ALOK SANJAR:

Will the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology be pleased to state:-

- (a) the number of cyber fraud incidents reported during the last three years and the current year, State and yearwise;
- (b) the details of companies/persons booked and charged under the law for cyber fraud;
- (c) whether the existing laws are not stringent enough to punish the guilty;
- (d) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  cyber  fraud  and  bring  in stringent legislation;
- (e) whether the Government has any specific law regarding online payment through websites or companies; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the action taken by the Government to bring such legislation?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY)

- (a) and (b):  With the proliferation of Information Technology and related services there is a rise in number of cyber breaches and cyber crime threats in the country like elsewhere in the world. The Police and Public Order are State subjects under the Constitution and as such the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations are  primarily  responsible  for  prevention,  detection,  registration  and  investigation  of  crimes  including  Cyber Crime  and  for  prosecuting  the  criminals  through  Law  Enforcement  machinery  within  their  jurisdictions. Information relating to Cyber Crime cases, cyber incidents and banking frauds are registered/ maintained in the country by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) respectively. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also registers such cases.
- i) As per the data maintained by NCRB, a total of 259 cases, 747 cases and 1,178 cases were registered under forgery/cheating (section 420, 465, 468, 471 & 480 IPC) under cyber crimes during 2012, 2013 & 2014 respectively.  State/UT  wise  cases  reported,  cases  charge  sheeted,  cases  convicted,  persons  arrested,  persons charge  sheeted  and  persons  convicted  under  forgery/cheating  (section  420,  465,  468,  471  &  480  IPC)  under cyber crime during 2012-2014 is enclosed at Annexure -1. Data for the year 2015 is under compilation.
- ii)      Various  cyber-attack  techniques  are  used  in  combination  while  committing  cyber  frauds.      Incidents  of phishing involve creation of fake websites to trick users to divulge online credentials. As per the information reported to and tracked by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) a total number of 955, 1122, 534  and  281  phishing  incidents  were  reported  during  the  year  2013,  2014,  2015  and  2016  (upto  May) respectively. CERT-In works in coordination with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and banks to track and disable phishing websites.
- iii)  As per the data made available by RBI, 8765, 9500, 13083 and 16468 cases related to Cyber Frauds (ATM/ Debit Card, Credit Card & Net Banking frauds) were reported by the banks during 2012-13,13-14,14-15 and 1516 respectively.
- iv)  CBI has registered 56 cases (regular cases and Preliminary enquiry) during the last three years. This includes 11, 20 and 25 cases in the year 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively.
- (c) and (d): The Information Technology Act 2000 as amended in 2008 has adequate provisions to deal with prevailing Cyber Crimes.  It provides punishment in the form of imprisonment ranging from two years to life imprisonment and fine / penalty depending on the type of Cyber Crime.
- (e) and (f):  There is no specific law regarding online payment through websites or companies. RBI has been issuing Master Circulars from time to time directing banks to follow Internet banking norms.

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