‘Public fear, greed fueling fraudsters', says Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Commissioner of Police VC Sajjanar on Saturday urged citizens to stay alert against rising cybercrimes, warning that “fear and greed of the public are becoming the investment for cyber criminals.”

He also said increasing digital dependency without awareness is enabling fraudsters to exploit citizens at scale.

The Commissioner was speaking at the ‘Jagrut Hyderabad – Surakshit Hyderabad’ Cyber Crime Awareness Program at Charminar, where he flagged off an awareness rally from Charminar to Madina and administered the cyber safety pledge to participants.

Pamphlets on cyber safety were distributed to locals and tourists in the area.

Two-day weekly cyber awareness initiative

Highlighting the city's ongoing preventive efforts, Sajjanar said cyber awareness activities are being conducted every Tuesday and Saturday across Hyderabad to move towards a cybercrime-free city.

As part of this outreach, police personnel are visiting households to equip families with basic precautions and digital literacy. He stressed that most cyber frauds succeed because victims lack awareness, noting that self-awareness is the first line of defence.

To strengthen community participation, he appealed to citizens to enroll as Cyber Simbas, adding that every home should have at least one digitally aware member capable of detecting fraud and protecting others.

Social media caution and youth vulnerability

The Commissioner advised the public against uploading private photographs or sharing sensitive personal information online, cautioning that such content may be misused for blackmail, identity theft, or financial fraud.

He flagged growing concerns over children’s exposure to social media, particularly cases involving girls who unknowingly interact with strangers and share personal details. Parents, he said, must closely monitor devices and educate children before granting digital access.

Senior citizens were also urged to be cautious, especially against ‘Digital Arrest’ scams, where fraudsters pose as government officers to intimidate victims and extort money.

Timely reporting can recover money

Sajjanar reiterated that immediate reporting is critical in cyber fraud cases. He advised victims to call the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 without delay and register complaints on www.cybercrime.gov.in, adding that action within the Golden Hour increases the chances of recovering lost funds.

He warned people not to respond to unknown calls, click suspicious links, download unverified applications, or share OTPs, passwords, or banking credentials.

Additional CP Crime and SIT M. Srinivas, IPS, South Zone Additional DCP M. Majid, ACPs P. Chandrasekhar, Ch. Chandrasekhar, G. Shyam Sundar, and M.A. Javeed, along with other senior officials, attended the awareness program.