Cyber crimes down by 30% this year, 43% defrauded amount frozen in Feb

Panaji: In Feb 2026, Goa police’s cyber crime cell froze 43% of the amount defrauded from victims by cyber criminals. SP (crime) Rahul Gupta said that based on the chief minister’s directives, police began registering zero e-FIRs in all cyber crime cases where the fraud amount was above Rs 1. This has increased the rate of restoration of the defrauded amount by submitting the FIR before the courts, he said.

Gupta said the cell has also been assisting victims to file such applications before the courts for restoration of the defrauded amount. The SP said that police has frozen Rs 3.6 crore this year.

He also said the awareness among Goans has increased, reducing frauds. However, common cyber frauds still reported include investment scams promising higher returns by adding victim to Whatsapp groups. Victims are also sent vehicle challans and the phone is hacked on clicking the link, he said.

Digital arrest also remains a favourite modus operandi for fraudsters, Gupta said. “Whenever any cyber fraud is reported through 1930 cyber helpline or the national cyber crime reporting portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in), the money trail is analysed through the system and promptly followed up by Goa cyber cell staff with nodal officers of various banks and financial intermediaries. Compared to the same period last year (Jan-Feb), the total fraud amount reported has reduced by 30%,” said Gupta.

Even in cases where citizens become victims, they are promptly calling 1930, receiving immediate assistance from the cyber cell, he said.

Gupta said in the cloud-based 1930 helpline centre, all calls received are monitored by senior officers to ensure quality control and empathetic responses. Since citizens are able to report frauds quickly, the probability of freezing the defrauded money increases significantly, he said.

“Last week, the cyber crime cell arrested two accused in two separate cases. Manojbhai Bhimbhai Vasava, 40, from Gujarat, was arrested from Bharuch, and Mohan Kalve, a resident of Hubballi, was arrested from Hubballi. Vasava was involved in a major cyber fraud amounting to Rs 7.7 lakh, and Kalve for a fraud of Rs 14.7 lakh,” said Gupta.

A resident of Bandora filed a complaint in the case involving Vasava where the accused sent a fraudulent bank message containing a apk file. After installation, the complainant’s phone was locked and unauthorised debits totalling Rs. 7.7 lakh were made to accounts of the accused.

In the second case, a resident of Miramar reported that the accused impersonated TRAI and Supreme Court officials, threatened the complainant with false allegations of Aadhaar misuse for SIM issuance, subjected her to a ‘digital arrest’ and extorted Rs 14.7 lakh.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !