Tamil Nadu residents faced a massive loss of Rs 1,673.85 crore in 2024 due to cyber crimes, according to official statistics released by the state cyber crime wing on Wednesday. Out of this staggering amount, Rs 771.98 crore (46%) was frozen and only around Rs 83.84 crore (5%) was returned to the victims.
The data revealed that a total of 1.3 lakh complaints were registered on the National Cyber Crime Registration Portal (NCCRP) in Tamil Nadu in 2024. This led to the filing of 4,380 First Information Reports (FIRs) and 61,267 Cyber Crime Status Reports (CSRs).
DGP Shankar Jiwal highlighted that Tamil Nadu ranked first in acknowledging complaints, as evidenced by the filing of CSRs, and third in the registration of FIRs, according to the data from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) established by the Union Home Ministry.
The state’s cyber crime wing received an average of 750 calls per day on the 1930 cyber helpline and reported 450 cases on NCCRP daily, as per official data. In total, the helpline received 2.7 lakh calls in 2024.
The proactive efforts of Tamil Nadu’s dedicated cyber patrolling team have led to significant achievements in combating fraudulent activities in the cyberspace. The team successfully removed 15 fake websites and blocked 121 Whatsapp accounts belonging to group admins promoting investment scams.
Additionally, the wing blocked a total of 79,748 International Mobile Equipment Identity numbers (IMEIs), traced 48,031 mobile phones, and recovered 16,317 phones through the CEIR portal. Last year, 20,453 SIMs/mobile numbers were also blocked. Furthermore, five gambling websites were taken down following a request from the TN Online Gaming Authority.
The relentless investigation efforts of Tamil Nadu’s cyber crime wing resulted in the arrest of 861 accused individuals, with 35 of them detained under the Goondas Act. These outcomes have significantly contributed to enhancing cybersecurity in the state.
The details of these accomplishments were shared during the prize distribution ceremony of a cyber hackathon organized for college students at the DGP’s office. The event served as a platform to recognize and reward the innovative efforts of young minds in the field of cybersecurity.
Overall, the proactive measures taken by Tamil Nadu’s cyber crime wing, along with the high rate of complaint acknowledgement and FIR registration, have played a crucial role in tackling cyber crimes and protecting residents from financial losses in the state.