Victim claims both cops and cybercrime helpline failed to take matter seriously despite rapid increase in such cases
The victim had received a message on WhatsApp from her mother’s number asking for an OTP. Representation Pic/iStock
A city-based woman fell victim to a cyber scam after receiving a WhatsApp message from her mother’s number requesting a one-time password (OTP), only to later discover that both their accounts had been hacked. The hacker, posing as the victim, sent messages to her contacts seeking Rs 30,000 for alleged medical expenses. While she lost nothing in terms of money, her experience highlighted the failure of enforcement agencies in handling cyber-related crimes.
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Sara Gharami (name changed), a 46-year-old woman from Mumbai’s western suburbs, describes herself as an educated, successful, and independent individual—someone who never imagined falling victim to cybercrime. However, her frustration lies more with law enforcers than the fraudsters, she said.
Recounting the incident, Sara told mid-day that last week, she received a WhatsApp message from her mother’s number. “The message said I must have received an OTP, and my mother asked me to share it. At that moment, I was preoccupied with several things, and why would I doubt my own mother—even though I see countless social media posts from Mumbai Police warning against sharing OTPs? But this was my mother, and like a fool, I shared it. Within minutes, my WhatsApp was hacked,” she said.
After hacking into her WhatsApp, the fraudsters messaged all 194 of her contacts, posing as her. “The message claimed I was in urgent need of money and requested Rs 30,000. Many of my clients, who are based outside India, wouldn’t have been able to send money, but they started reaching out to me—along with my friends in Mumbai—asking if something was wrong with my health. That’s when I realised I had been targeted in a cyber fraud,” Sara said. As soon as Sara realised what had happened, she attempted to reach Mumbai Police. Her first instinct was to dial 100—the city’s emergency helpline.
“I was on hold for over two hours, waiting for someone to answer. When an officer finally picked up, all he said was that they ‘don’t handle cyber-related matters’ and advised me to contact the ‘cyber police,’ providing a random number,” she said. However, when she called the cybercrime helpline, it took another one and a half hours for someone to respond. “The official on the helpline advised me to call back the next morning to BKC cyber police," she said.
Left with no choice, Sara took matters into her own hands. After some online research and discussions with her peers, she came across the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, where she successfully filed a complaint. However, she received no confirmation regarding its registration.
‘Scammers were defiant’
“The Mumbai Police raves about cyber fraud awareness on social media, constantly advising citizens on what to do and what not to do. But is that enough to actually protect us?” Sara said. “This experience made me realise the ground reality—we don’t have an effective mechanism to handle cybercrime cases. While my WhatsApp was hacked, I was able to communicate with the fraudsters through my mother’s number. They were so confident about not being caught that they told me outright, ‘Go to any police station, we don’t care.’ This reflects their audacity and complete lack of fear. It’s arbitrary, and something must be done because these fraudsters are far ahead of both the public and law enforcement—and they’re only getting stronger with each passing day,” she said adding that a police officer whom she informed about the nonchalant attitude of the fraudster, responded saying, “kya kar sakte hain madam?”
Stats speak
In 2024, Mumbai saw a significant surge in cybercrime incidents. From January to September, the city registered 4054 cases—a 27 per cent increase from the 3191 cases reported during the same period in 2023. The Mumbai Police reportedly solved 920 of these cases and arrested 970 individuals last year. Additionally, in 2024, Mumbai residents lost approximately Rs 1,181 crore to cyber fraud over 11 months, out of which, the Mumbai Police’s helpline team managed to save over R150 crore during this period and blacklisted 6500 suspicious mobile devices. In the first 11 months of 2024, cybercrimes in Mumbai increased 350 per cent compared to 2023, according to data from five cyber police stations under the Mumbai Police.
Targeted by cybercriminals? Here’s what to do
>> Dr Prashant Mali, a cyber law and cyber security expert, laid out the steps a cybercrime victim should take upon realising they have been targeted.
>> The first step is to dial 1930, the toll-free cyber helpline, to report the fraud. This can help victims block fraudulent transactions and seek assistance. Upon registering, the victim receives an acknowledgement number via SMS. Complaints can also be filed through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (https://cybercrime.gov.in/), which routes the case to the nearest police station for investigation. A police officer will contact the victim to record statements, and if necessary, the complaint may be converted into an FIR.
>> Victims can also visit their nearest police station. In the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, every police station has a dedicated cyber cell managed by designated officers. Victims should submit a written complaint in two copies—one of which will be stamped and returned as proof of submission. They should also provide all evidence in printed form.
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