Hyderabad: The Telangana Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (TGCSB) has apprehended 165 cyber criminals from across the country in the last six months.
The arrested individuals were involved in 76 cases registered under the TGCSB and are connected to a staggering 795 cases in Telangana and 3,357 cases nationwide. The criminals were involved in a range of illegal activities, including part-time job scams, stock trading frauds, loan frauds, hacking, cyber slavery, and sextortion. Many held roles such as mule account holders, bank account operators, SIM suppliers, and hackers.
The arrests were made across several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, New Delhi, Gujarat, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and more.
The arrested individuals came from diverse backgrounds including 45 percent of them were graduates or postgraduates (pursuing B Tech, MBA, MCA), 34 percent were businessmen, 21 percent self-employed, and 9 percent were students.
The age group of those arrested ranged from under 20 years to over 50 years, with the majority between 21 and 30 years old. Factors driving these individuals to cybercrime included the lure of easy money, debts, criminal family backgrounds, and external influences.
TGCSB has urged citizens to remain vigilant and practice basic cyber hygiene, advising against clicking on unknown links or sharing personal details.
For anyone who suspects they are a victim of cybercrime, the TGCSB has provided contact details for reporting incidents: Dial 1930, visit www.cybercrime.gov.in, or WhatsApp 8712672222.
