Bhubaneswar: At least 3,660 cyber fraud complaints over duping people of Rs 68.79 crore have been reported at the dedicated cyber police station in Bhubaneswar over the past nine months, a senior police officer said on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters, Bhubaneswar DCP Pinak Mishra said that from January to September, 3,660 cyber fraud cases were reported, and 247 FIRs were registered at the cyber police station, involving frauds totaling Rs 68.79 crore. Victims from Bhubaneswar and other parts of the state lodged complaints at the police station. The police have so far frozen approximately Rs 11.86 crore in fraudulent funds and returned Rs 1.80 crore to the victims, Mishra said.
So far, 24 cyber fraudsters have been arrested, he said, adding that for investigation and recovery of the amount, special police teams have been deployed to West Bengal, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Assam and Chhattisgarh in these nine months. For Durga Puja, cyber volunteers will be deployed at important puja pandals for sharing pamphlets and sensitising the public, he said.
Police on Wednesday organised a 'Cyber Fraud Money Return Mela' here to return recovered amounts to the complainants. A total of 49 lakh has been refunded to the victims who lost money through cyber frauds including calls, investment trading and KYC updation, police officials said.
