Around 3,338 of them were related to financial frauds amounting to Rs 3.09 crore, police said, adding that they managed to freeze Rs 1.20 crore in deposits and refunded Rs 51.12 lakh to victims.
The Gujarat police’s cyber crime cell received around 12,500 complaints related to financial frauds, stalking or bullying and other cyber crimes in March.
As per a statement released by the police, the complaints were made on 1930, the cyber helpline number of the cell. The crime investigation department is the nodal agency handling the cell under Project Cyber Aashvast (Assured Assistance Service Helpline for Victims At Shortest Time).
“Among the 12,488 complaints registered in March this year, around 3,338 were recognised as financial frauds to the tune of Rs 3.09 crore. Acting on complaints in real time, we have managed to freeze Rs 1.20 crore in bank accounts and refunded Rs 51.12 lakh to the victims’ bank accounts,” read a statement from the department.
The cell consists of 55 police personnel with technical background and is headed by an official of the superintendent of police rank.
“In the same month, we received 179 complaints of bullying, sexual harassment and stalking. Our anti-bullying team then counselled the victims personally and via videoconferencing. We have also blocked 76 fake IDs on social media platforms in this regard,” added the statement.
