The Indian government has issued a notice to Meta regarding WhatsApp's upcoming username feature, warning the platform not to roll it out until concerns about potential fraud, impersonation, and public safety are addressed to the government's satisfaction.
A 61-year-old man from Mangaluru was allegedly cheated of Rs 2.07 crore by cyber fraudsters posing as officials of central investigative agencies in a 'digital arrest' scam, police said.
A 75-year-old doctor in Pune was defrauded of 12.31 crore in an online share trading scam after being coerced into making multiple investments by fraudsters.
WhatsApp has asserted that username reservation relating to well-known public figure names is restricted only to their legitimate account owners, and termed as "false" any claims that people are reserving popular or well-known usernames.
Jharkhand police have arrested 10 cyber criminals in Deoghar district for defrauding people through fake online platforms and fraudulent cashback offers.
A 61-year-old woman from Thane was allegedly cheated of 15.76 lakh by fraudsters who claimed she had a parcel containing valuables arriving from abroad.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral was allegedly duped of Rs 7.8 crore after cyber fraudsters impersonated him on a messaging app and tricked his company's chief financial officer into transferring funds to multiple bank accounts, the police said on Thursday.
Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato has called for the formulation of a more effective and stringent policy to curb cybercrimes, fraud, and digital scams. He highlighted the dual nature of artificial intelligence, which simplifies life but also presents serious challenges through misuse. Various experts and MLAs at a workshop emphasised the importance of cybersecurity education, personal digital responsibility, and empowering legislators to strengthen institutional resilience against cyber threats.
Mumbai Police have arrested a man for allegedly defrauding a senior executive of over Rs 60 lakh under the guise of cryptocurrency investment.
Delhi Police have arrested two individuals from Haryana for their alleged involvement in facilitating cyber fraud through mule bank accounts. The arrests were made during an investigation into an online investment scam that defrauded a senior citizen of over Rs 1.69 lakh.
Delhi Police have dismantled a cyber fraud syndicate involved in providing mule bank accounts, arresting 14 individuals across multiple locations. The syndicate allegedly supplied bank accounts, SIM cards, and ATM cards to fraudsters running fake investment schemes and online job scams, laundering the proceeds through these accounts.
Delhi Police arrested over 600 individuals and detained over 8,300 suspects during Operation CyHawk 4.0, a major crackdown on cybercrime. The operation targeted financial networks and call centres involved in online scams, recovering significant digital evidence and tracing defrauded money.
Meta-owned WhatsApp has been granted more time to submit its response on the contentious 'username' feature and assured the government that it will not roll it out in India until discussions are complete, according to sources.
A 29-year-old woman from Mumbra was allegedly defrauded of Rs 6.75 lakh (6,750) by an individual posing as an NRI on a matrimonial website. The accused claimed to be a UK resident and convinced the victim to transfer funds for customs clearances.
Police in Karnataka have arrested an individual running a firm accused of operating a multi-crore deposit scam, attracting investments with promises of high returns. The case involves Shivaanand S Neelanavar and his firm Shivam Associates, also known as Acumen, who allegedly failed to return money to depositors after promising a 36 per cent annual return.
Delhi Police have arrested two individuals from Rajasthan for allegedly defrauding a Delhi resident of over 21 lakh through a high-return online investment scam. The accused lured the victim with promises of lucrative returns and prepaid tasks.
Meta-owned WhatsApp has submitted its reply to the government's notice on the "username" feature and the response is being examined, sources said on Thursday.
Delhi Police have dismantled an interstate cyber fraud network, arresting three individuals involved in digital arrest and investment scams that defrauded victims of over Rs 80 lakh.
Police in Belagavi, Karnataka, have arrested the operator of Shivam Associates, accused of running a multi-crore Ponzi scheme that promised high returns to depositors. The case has been registered under the BUDS Act and KPID Act, and will be transferred to the CID for further investigation.
OTP scams accounted for over one-fourth of all cyber frauds.
Arunachal Pradesh Police have arrested a man from Assam for allegedly defrauding a woman by posing as a retailer offering iron rods at unusually low prices online. The police urge the public to be cautious of online scams and report them immediately.
An 82-year-old woman in Thane, Maharashtra, was allegedly defrauded of 73.3 lakh in a 'digital arrest' scam after fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials threatened to implicate her in a fake terror case.
India's IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to summon Meta regarding Instagram ads promoting child sexual abuse material, following a BBC investigation. This action comes shortly after the government also questioned Meta about WhatsApp's planned username feature, citing concerns over increased online fraud and cybercrimes.
Jaipur police arrested seven individuals and detained two minors for allegedly defrauding people through online gaming scams, luring victims with promises of cash prizes.
Ludhiana Police have busted a large cyber fraud racket, arresting 132 people involved in running fake call centres that targeted foreign nationals through various online scams.
Two cyber fraudsters have been arrested for allegedly defrauding a resident of East Delhi of over 20,000 by posing as electricity officials.
The government has issued a stern notice to Meta on Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) in paid advertisements on Instagram, sources said on Sunday.
A 72-year-old doctor in Mumbai was defrauded of 10,000 by cyber criminals posing as Mahanagar Gas Limited personnel who tricked him into downloading a malicious file.
A retired man in Thane was allegedly cheated of 22 lakh by three individuals who promised him a job in the Indian Railways, police said.
The Delhi Police returned 532 recovered lost and stolen mobile phones to their owners under 'Operation Vishwas'. The event included cyber crime and drug abuse awareness sessions.
Police in Lucknow have arrested four people for allegedly using ChatGPT and graphic design software to create and sell fake IPL tickets outside the Ekana Stadium.
The Maharashtra legislature witnessed widespread protests as Opposition legislators accused the government of failing to prevent examination paper leaks, including the recent Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) and NEET. Senior leaders alleged links between those behind the leaks and the BJP, demanding a comprehensive investigation into the examination process and government accountability.
A senior bank executive in Mumbai was defrauded of 97.78 lakh by cyber criminals through a fake share market investment scheme.
The CBI has conducted searches across multiple states in connection with a large-scale online financial fraud involving the overseas fintech platform 'Pyypl'.
This marks a 67% increase from the Rs 2,537 crore lost in scams in 2022-2023.
Indian youth creates fictional AI influencer, Emily Hart, who amasses millions of followers and earns him substantial income, exposing the deceptive potential of AI in the digital age.
Cyber criminals impersonated a company owner to deceive an accountant into transferring a large sum of money.
A 69-year-old man in Mumbai was defrauded of 1.57 crore (157,000) in a 'digital arrest' cyber scam. The victim was tricked into transferring funds to accounts controlled by cyber criminals posing as police officers.
The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has dismantled two significant fraud operations involving crores of rupees in fraudulent share market, cryptocurrency, and forex schemes, leading to multiple arrests and uncovering a vast network of deceit.
Bengaluru police have arrested six individuals, including a husband and wife, for allegedly defrauding hundreds of job seekers by falsely promising them employment in district courts across the state. The accused are alleged to have collected lakhs of rupees from over 450 aspirants, issuing fake court orders and selection lists.
