'Police Ki Pathshala': Prayagraj Police Raises Awareness Via Social Media To Alert Citizens Against Cybercrimes

The Prayagraj Police Department has established the "Police ki Pathshala" or "e-Pathshala", which offers citizens advice on how to protect themselves against internet scams and prevent falling victim to them. Ramit Sharma, the Prayagraj police commissioner, took the initiative to use social media channels to raise public awareness of cybercrimes and the tactics used by cyber con artists.

Awareness Through Social Media

Posters on Facebook and Twitter are being used by police to raise awareness as part of "Police ki Pathshala". Additionally, WhatsApp groups are being used to notify people. The effort aims to educate as many bank clients as possible about cyber scams and reduce the number of instances of online fraud.

According to Superintendent of police (SP) crime Satish Chandra, the goal of "Police ki Pathshala" is to reduce instances of internet fraud and raise public awareness of cybercrimes. He stated that social media was being used to reach the largest possible audience and inform them of the tactics of cyber con artists, reported Hindustan Times.

Over 940 instances of internet fraud have been reported in the past eleven months, and hundreds more are still under investigation. According to Prayagraj police, online con artists stole money from bank customers there, totalling many crores.

The cyber cell police said, "The victims of cyber frauds should immediately call helpline number 1930 and report their complaint, which will increase chances of getting the money back and ensure action against the fraudsters."

Police's Guidelines For Citizens

The cyber cell has published certain guidelines stating that no information involving bank accounts, debit cards, or credit cards should be disclosed to anyone. Some of these include: OTP should under no circumstances be disclosed to anyone; delete all outdated OTP-containing messages; when looking up customer service or helpline numbers for various services online; users should exercise caution.

In any case, there would be no mobile customer service number. Any unknown link sent over SMS or WhatsApp should not be clicked. Additionally, anybody using OLX for sales or purchases should exercise caution. Furthermore, individuals should avoid sending money online after getting a message asking for payment for a sick or injured person. According to police, such assistance should only be provided following thorough verification.

Police ki Pathshala also warns social media users about posting photos since online predators have been known to demand money in exchange for doctored photos. Police advised bank customers to be on the lookout for messages with a disconnection notice sent in conjunction with an electrical bill.

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