Sawant vows to strengthen cyber cell, create awareness
MAPUSA
The Goa Police have registered a total of 298 cybercrime cases from January 2020 to June 2024, encompassing a range of offenses including banking and financial fraud, child pornography, email scams, job scams, social media fraud, e-commerce fraud, and data breaches.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant informed the Goa Legislative Assembly that the cyber cell has successfully frozen siphoned funds amounting to Rs 3.5 crore in the accounts of cyber fraudsters. “The money will be subsequently transferred back to the victims’ accounts,” Sawant stated.
Highlighting the prevalence and severity of cybercrimes, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Lourenco expressed concern over the detection and conviction rates. “Most of the cybercrimes do not get detected properly, and not a single case has led to a conviction, which is quite alarming and needs thorough investigation,” Lourenco said. He suggested that all registered cases and their statuses should be made available online for public tracking.
Chief Minister Sawant outlined several contributing factors to the rise in cybercrime cases in Goa, including unauthorized access, misuse of personal information leading to identity theft, financial fraud, lack of awareness of cybersecurity while using social media, and the temptation to earn easy and fast money. “We are taking steps to strengthen the cyber cell, with new innovations to be implemented within the next two months. Additionally, we are creating awareness about cybercrimes in schools and through the media,” Sawant explained.
The Chief Minister also mentioned that cybercrime complaints can be reported at any police station across the state or through the helpline number 1930. Plans are also in place to enhance the Cybercrime Lab for more effective investigations.
Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral raised concerns about the backlog of cases within the cyber cell, emphasising the need for timely resolutions.
The Goa Police’s proactive measures and future plans aim to curb the growing menace of cybercrime and ensure better protection for the residents of Goa.
