Why metro cities are more prone to cybercrime than others

As per the National Crime Record Bureau, in 2019, 18,500 cases of cyber fraud were registered in the 19 metropolitan cities, which was 41 percent of the country’s overall cases. In 2020, this figure increased slightly as 18,657 cases were recorded in the metropolitan cities — 37 percent of India's overall cases.

However, 2021 saw a decline in cases of cyber frauds in metropolitan cities — 17,115 cases were reported, comrpising 32 percent of India's overall cases. According to experts, the actual number of cases is much higher than those reported.

Another cyber security expert, Ritesh Bhatia, told CNBC-TV18, "As a private cyber security service provider, I get at least 100 cases a month. So the actual figure of overall cases is much higher than what the available data indicates."

"These cyber frauds understand the mindset of the people of the metropolitan cities. They are aware that these people are leading busy lives, are always in a rush, and they multitask. These people want quick and hassle-free services. All these things make them more vulnerable to such frauds. The extensive use of multiple online services makes them an easy target," he added.

Nita Kadam, a 36-year-old single mother to her 16-year-old son Parth, lost her husband when Parth was very young. Kadam lives with her in-laws in Mumbai's Sewri locality, and works as a cook to support the family.

She told CNBC-TV18, "I work at four houses and earn Rs 25,000 a month. Last year in October, we received a call for AC servicing. The caller was speaking to my son and asked him to GPay Rs 5 on his number. I was suspicious. Then the caller sent an OTP. My son is young, so he ended up sharing the OTP and within a minute we lost Rs 18,721."

"I filed a complaint with the police the next day, but it was all in vain. The cops said I should have immediately reported the matter. But the day it happened, I was in shock. The cops said that now nothing can be done. The number from which we got the call was still active. I called that number and confronted the person. I told the cops that the number is still active but instead of following up, they said I should have come to them sooner and I should not have shared OTP," she added.

The authorities are aware of metropolitan cities being an easy target for cybercrimes. Authorities of several states and cities have set up specialised cyber cells to deal with such frauds. But according to these authorities, operational hurdles make it difficult to bring such crimes down.

Bhatia also added, "The concerned nodal officers don't work for 24 hours and on weekends. This means that cops don't get easy access to the required data and the frauds know this. That's why maximum cybercrimes take place after 6 pm and on weekends."

Experts advise people to log on to the cybercrime portal or call 1930 as soon as they realise they have been scammed. As per these experts, any request for personal data, debit or credit card PINs, or OTPs should immediately set off red flags, and be reported.

These experts also urge that online transactions should only be carried out through verified, secure portals, and no sensitive information or documents should be uploaded to unknown or unverified portals.

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Cybersecurity experts also request people not to answer video calls from unknown numbers, and not fall for lucrative offers because if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Therefore, caution and awareness remain the best tool to fight cybercrime.