Helpline 1930 links Panchkula cyber victims to prompt action
Increased awareness of cybercrime helpline 1930 in Panchkula has led to a rise in fraud reporting, faster recovery of funds, and more arrests. In early 2025, FIRs and recoveries nearly doubled compared to the previous year due to timely reporting. Increased awareness of the National Cybercrime Helpline 1930 has led to a rise in complaints, better recovery of fraudulent payments, and more arrests of scammers, so Panchkula residents are reporting online scams more swiftly. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) launched a specialized cybercrime helpline in 2021 to allow victims to report online fraud immediately. This helps to quickly freeze illicit transactions and, eventually, aid in recovery. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) created the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), which runs the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and helpline. In the first three months of 2025, Panchkula cyber police received 911 complaints of fraud totalling ₹7.62 crore. Compared to the same period in 2024, when 807 complaints about losses totalling ₹7.38 crore were received, this indicates a 12% rise. Between January and March of this year, the number of FIRs filed about cyber scams doubled from 21 in 2024 to 43 this year. As evidenced by the fact that ₹32.95 lakh (43%) of the ₹75.53 lakh that were put on hold after the crimes were reported through the helpline was recovered in January–March 2025, more complaints and prompt reporting are also leading to prompt action. Only ₹35,712 (0.31%) of the ₹1.12 crore that had been kept through the helpline during the same time in 2024 was returned. Arrests doubled from the first quarter of 2024 There are also more arrests as a result of the greater awareness. In 2024, nine cybercriminals were apprehended in the first quarter. That figure has increased to 17 this year. Inspector Munish Kumar, who is in charge of the Panchkula cybercrime police station, stressed how important it is to call the 1930 helpline as soon as possible to stop the transaction chain. “Timely reporting is essential. It maximizes the likelihood of recovery before the money goes down the chain by quickly connecting victims with banks and law enforcement. “Campaigns targeting senior citizens, ex-servicemen, resident welfare associations, market welfare associations, schools, and colleges are being held regularly to raise public awareness about the helpline and to combat cybercrime,” he continued. Furthermore, according to a cyber police official, the 1930 helpline currently receives 90% of Panchkula’s cybercrime reports. In total, 3,615 cyber fraud complaints ttotalling₹11.90 crore were filed with the Panchkula police last year. In addition, 169 FIRs ttotalling₹42.21crorese were filed. After the 1930 helpline helped put ₹10.36 crore on hold, the victims received ₹6.06 crore.