2022: Telangana witnesses surge in cybercrime cases

Telangana witnesses surge in cybercrime cases with 13,895 cases registered in 2022 against 8,839 in previous year

Hyderabad: Telangana has witnessed a surge in cybercrime cases, with 13,895 cases registered in 2022 as against 8,839 cases in the previous year, a 57 percent increase.

Overall, 2022 will see a general increase in all types of cybercrime compared to previous years. The highest number of cybercrime cases related to general fraud was registered with 9,815 in 2022, compared to 5,833 in the previous year.

A total of 1,118 cyberstalking-related cases were reported this year, compared with 1,024 last year. Telangana’s cybercrime authorities registered 1,663 phishing cases last year, targeting 716.

Online fraud was 1,158, compared to 1,191 last year. A total of 141 cases involved obscene content on websites and e-mails, compared with 75 the previous year.

“In the future, every crime will have a digital crime component. To deal with it at the police department level, we have cyber warriors who help police officers investigate digital criminal links in crimes. Police are now trained to respond to and deal with cybercrime, New training modules will be introduced as needed,” Telangana DGP M Mahender Reddy said.

Police have also made a major breakthrough in the state’s fight against online fraud. “We have cybercrime stations in all regions, and to investigate major cases, we have cyber labs in all regions and commissions. They are equipped with advanced tools and all personnel are trained,” the DGP said.

The Cybercrime Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department maintains links with national agencies such as the National Technical Research Organization, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, Interpol and the Ministry of Home Affairs to improve monitoring and coordinate investigations of cybercrime.

He further stated that the police conduct regular awareness programs for the public to prevent them from falling prey to cyber fraudsters.