The crime branch has arrested a telecaller from Uttar Pradesh linked to an illegal loan app, in connection with the alleged suicide of a first-year BDS student in Kannur. The student, Nithin Raj, was reportedly harassed by the loan app operators and also by two college faculty members, who are also accused in the case.
As per sources, the MHA recommended the MeitY this week to ban and block these apps, and the ministry subsequently initiated the process as per communication.
Kerala Police chief Ravada Chandrasekhar highlighted cyber fraud as a serious social challenge, particularly targeting youth, during the inauguration of 'RBI Reelathon 2026'. This multi-phase awareness campaign by the Reserve Bank of India aims to engage college students in combating cyber financial frauds through creative content creation and timely reporting.
For the time being, digital lending remains a grey area, notes Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the alleged suicide of a student, vowing a thorough investigation into claims of caste-based harassment and loan app involvement.
Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the alleged suicide of a BDS student following accusations of caste-based harassment. An investigation has been launched, and support pledged to the victim's family.
The alleged suicide of a first-year BDS student in Kerala has sparked outrage and prompted investigations into claims of caste-based harassment. The Chief Minister has condemned the incident, and various organisations are offering support to the student's family and calling for measures to prevent future occurrences.
Borrowers should be careful if the app promises too-quick disbursal, and doesn't provide adequate information on the terms of the loan, such as interest rate, repayment schedule, etc.
Borrowing from a fraudulent loan app subjects the borrower to a variety of risks.
Of the 2,562 customer complaints received between January 2020 and March 2021, a majority relate to illegal apps. At least two dozen suicide cases have been reported, perpetrated by the harassment by loan app operators, points out Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has arrested a person who the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) said has emerged as the mastermind of the racket of incorporating a large number of shell companies with Chinese links in India.
We propose an expert group be set up to form a national strategy on digital fraud. This group would bring together skills in financial regulation, security economics, cyber defence, and public communications, and an understanding of the Indian financial and security systems. It should lay the foundations of a coordinated approach by the Indian State in fighting digital fraud, suggest Ajay Shah and Nandkumar Saravade.
In 2025 alone, at least 50 suicides linked to online gambling losses have been reported across India. According to FIRs, the victims were addicted to betting, largely driven by cricket, rummy and poker.
This follows an earlier incident on May 22, 2025, in which a large quantity of drugs was seized near the Nungambakkam railway station, according to a Greater Chennai Police press release.
A Haryana man who paid Rs 35 lakh to agents to facilitate his journey to the USA via the 'dunki' route was deported back to India after being apprehended in the US. The man, Pankaj Rawat, has filed a complaint with the Gujarat police accusing the agents of human trafficking and cheating.
It said a "sudden rise" in terrorist-financing investigations was seen in 2023 and this was attributed to events arising out of incidents in Manipur that led to such probes in more than 50 cases.
What is digital house arrest? It is a tactic cybercriminals use to confine victims to their homes and scam them, explains Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
One bill provides $60.8 billion for Ukraine, with over 80 percent of it for helping Kyiv amid its ongoing war with Russia, including replenishing supplies of US made weapons and ammunition.
Nothing is going to change in a hurry unless attitudes change and punishments are speedy and fair, notes Ramesh Menon.
The total amount of fraud reported by banks showed a drop in 2020-21 - for the first time in eight years - though there is an emerging trend of private sector banks reporting a larger number of frauds related to card and internet banking. According to the latest data released by the Reserve Bank of India, commercial banks reported Rs 1.38 trillion of frauds in 2020-21, as compared to Rs 1.85 trillion in the previous year. The first half of the current fiscal year saw banks reporting frauds worth Rs 36,342 crore.
Sharma to step down as Axis Bank chief on December 31.
The two central premier investigative agencies - Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate - have asked their officials to focus more on digital evidence, e-forums and social media to crack down on offenders. These are a crucial part of prosecution amid the second wave of the pandemic. The Income Tax Department is going full throttle on data analytics to issue notices in time-bound cases. Further, sleuths have been given electronic devices including laptops with secure connections, which keep data encrypted and inaccessible.
'Hacking of an ID or an account will have the same impact on a user in a city and one in a small town.' 'Security is like a railroad, you create it to last for every customer.'
Since payment alternatives such as UPI, e-wallets and USSD - based mobile banking through different platforms are directly or indirectly linked to the user's bank account one needs to be extra careful to keep hackers at bay, explains Adhil Shetty, CEO, BankBazaar.
Restricted by state government orders, the ownership of such land could not be formally registered, so the advances made continued to be reflected in the accounts as 'advances against land'.
