Cyber Fraud on the Rise: Residents Lose Lakhs as Police Struggle to Trace Perpetrators
Prayagraj, September — Cybercrime continues to cast a dark shadow over the city, leaving residents anxious and wary of online transactions. In a series of alarming incidents over the past week, several individuals lost substantial sums of money to fraudsters, raising concerns about the growing sophistication of digital scams and the inability of authorities to immediately track down the culprits.
In Naini’s ADA Colony, private employee Puspendra Dev Pandey fell victim to a cyber scam not once, but twice within a span of a week.
On 2 September, he reported a loss of ₹20,000 from his bank account. Despite promptly filing complaints both at the bank branch and through the official helpline 1930, he was targeted again.
On the evening of 9 September, ₹60,200 vanished from his account in two separate transactions, leaving him shocked and frustrated. Puspendra asserted that he had never shared his OTPs or any sensitive personal information, highlighting the cunning tactics employed by fraudsters to bypass even the most cautious users.
In another case in Kareli, Mohammad Najeeb Alam was lured into an elaborate investment scam through Telegram. He was added to a group promising lucrative returns, which convinced him to transfer ₹86,700.
However, when he attempted to withdraw his funds, the scammers imposed a series of additional fees, trapping him in a never-ending cycle of extortion. The local police have registered an FIR, but Najeeb, like many others, remains uncertain if he will ever see his money again.
Adding to public anxiety, Priya Kumari of Chheetpur, Jaigarhtown, reported a loss of ₹43,000 after clicking on a suspicious link sent via Telegram.
Her phone was compromised, granting fraudsters access to her banking details. She immediately complained to the helpline 1930, but her case underscores the ease with which cybercriminals can exploit technology to target unsuspecting citizens.
These incidents have triggered growing concern among residents, who feel increasingly vulnerable to cyber fraud despite repeated warnings.
The designated cybercrime wing of the police department, while actively investigating these cases, is struggling to keep pace with the ever-evolving methods of scammers.
Many in the community fear that unless more stringent measures and faster action are taken, cybercriminals will continue to operate with near impunity, causing financial and emotional distress to ordinary citizens.
Authorities urge the public to exercise extreme caution, avoid clicking on unknown links, and never share sensitive information such as OTPs or bank passwords.
Meanwhile, residents are demanding stronger, faster, and more proactive interventions from law enforcement to ensure that perpetrators are tracked, arrested, and brought to justice before more victims are created.
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