PANJIM: Stating that cybercrimes against women are rising substantially, Superintendent of Police (SP) Sunita Sawant on Thursday appealed to netizens to refrain from posting personal details and photos on social media networking sites.
She also cautioned the people against receiving phone calls from unknown numbers on applications like WhatsApp and also advised people to avoid opening links shared by unauthenticated/ unknown sources.
Addressing a press conference in Panjim, SP Sawant informed that in 2021, a total of 38 cybercrime cases were registered and it rose to 90 in 2022 while this year upto August 22 as many as 51 cases have been registered by the Goa police. All these cases were of cybercrimes committed against women in the State.
Majority of the cases were related to cheating by impersonation by using computer resource followed by identity theft. The other offences are computer related offences, sending offensive messages through communication service etc, violation of privacy, cyber terrorism, publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form, publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc in electronic form, publishing or transmitting of material depicting children in sexually explicit act, etc in electronic form.
“Photos uploaded on social media are downloaded and morphed and used in sexually explicit content by misusing the technology. Fake social media accounts are being created and reels are uploaded and defamed. I appeal to social media users to avoid uploading pictures and changing DP (Data Processing or Display Picture) frequently on WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook. Mostly women who are more active and popular on social media are the victims of cybercrimes. Try to upload minimum personal pictures, family pictures and pictures of your house on social media,” Sawant said.
Pointing out that Child pornography is banned in India, SP Sawant informed that those individuals and groups creating, publishing, viewing and sharing child pornography are being watched and action is initiated against them.
“Don’t fall prey to lucrative deals online or calls wherein you are told about an unknown parcel is in your name or that you have won the lottery and they ask you to transfer a small amount promising that the winning amount would be transferred in your account subsequently. When you transfer even one rupee that means you are exposing your account in the virtual world on the social platform and you become the victim of cybercrime,” she added.
She said people should not become victims of cyber frauds and criminals, and appealed to them to seek help from police and fight it out.
She further said, “Approach police or submit information on the National Crime Cybercrime Reporting portal. Dial 100 or 112, or call the police control room on 7875756000, this number is on WhatsApp. You can also share your information on the women WhatsApp helpline group on 7875756177. If you are a senior citizen, then you can also share information on helpline number 1090. We also have women helping number i.e. 1091. You can also share information on the Cybercrime financial fraud helpline number 1930.”