With Rising Cybercrime Graph, Haryana's Nuh May Soon Become Another Jamtara

Nuh: For its nexus to rampant cybercrime, particularly phishing and online fraud, Jamtara of Jharkhand has earned the infamous moniker 'phishing capital of India'. Nuh in Haryana has also been witnessing a rise in the number of cyber fraud cases in the last five years.

Police have identified 40 villages in the Nuh district as the most frequent locations for cyber fraud. Not only the Haryana police, but police from several other states also conduct regular raids in these areas in search of cyber criminals.

Data from the Nuh police reveals that 226 FIRs for cyber fraud were registered from January to September, in which 285 arrests were made. Likewise, 905 SIM cards and 304 mobile phones were recovered from the accused. Furthermore, nearly Rs 3 lakh, 137 ATM cards and approximately 29 passbooks were retrieved from cybercrooks and were successfully returned to the victims.

Police have identified 40 villages in the Nuh district as the most frequent locations for cyber fraud. (ETV Bharat)

Mostly young people between the ages of 18 and 25 are involved in cyber fraud driven by the desire to make quick money. Initially, questions were raised about the police inaction in cybercrime cases. However, given their increasing number, a police station to handle only cybercrime cases was established in Nuh.

According to local police, investigations revealed that cyber fraudsters import SIM cards from other states to use them for avoiding detection. They possess multiple mobile phones and SIM cards, enabling them to commit fraud. Individuals involved in providing bank accounts and SIM cards for the purpose of committing fraud are arrested frequently.

Cyber criminals keep resorting to novel methods to lure people into their trap. Sometimes they use social media advertisements to defraud people, and sometimes they lure victims into selling livestock. They usually target people from distant states. Many fraudsters speak fluent English and show fake ID cards and uniforms during video calls to win victims' trust.

With a predominantly undereducated youth population, coupled with a dearth of employment opportunities, Nuh has not been able to offer much to the newest generation. The industrial sector in the area is nonexistent, forcing most people to resort to agriculture or truck driving. In the age of social media, young people want to become rich in a short time, which is why they go astray, ultimately turning out to be cybercriminals.

The cybercrime police station in Nuh which was set up recently. (ETV Bharat)

Rashid Ahmed, an advocate and social worker, said the increase in cybercrime cases is due to the lack of adequate employment opportunities for the youth. They turn to cybercrime in pursuit of easy money. "A large number of cases are being filed against them, arrests are being made, and mobile phones, SIM cards, and other items are being recovered from them. While strict action against cybercrime is necessary, social cooperation is also essential," he added.

The police are continuously running campaigns in villages to make people aware of cyber fraud. Additionally, two counselling centres — in the Mandikheda Traffic Police Station building and in the Police Lines complex — have been opened in the area recently. These centres help hundreds of youth released on bail reintegrate into the mainstream. Nuh SP Rajesh Kumar will soon organise a program in Akbarpur village under the Pingawan police station limits on cyber fraud cases. He has previously held similar programs in several villages in the presence of the sarpanches.

DSP Punhana Jitendra Rana said on the SP's directions, campaigns are run from time to time to nab cyber criminals and spread awareness among the masses.

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