The Mewat region in Deeg district, Rajasthan, has emerged as a significant hub for cyber fraud, with 74 gangs reportedly defrauding a staggering Rs3.36 billion in just four months. Among the notable cases are Arif Khan, who swindled Rs135 million at Nagar police station; Javed, with Rs116.9 million at Kama police station; Talim, who defrauded Rs78.5 million at Kaithwara police station; and Taiful, with Rs70.3 million at Sikri police station. These gangs executed large-scale scams between March and June.
The rise in cyber fraud cases in Deeg district is alarming, particularly in police stations like Deeg Kotwali, Kama, Nagar, Pahadi, Khoh, Sikri, Kaithwara, Jaluki, Jurhara, and Gopalgarh. A significant 90% of these incidents involve the morphing of victims’ images with explicit videos. Other prevalent scams include offers of luxury cars, high-end motorcycles, and expensive smartphones at discounted prices on social media platforms. Scammers also entice victims with fake lottery messages via WhatsApp and deceptive online shopping schemes.
In response to this surge, an initiative called “Operation Anti-Virus” has been underway since March 1, 2024, under the leadership of Bharatpur Range IG. The operation has led to over 200 registered cases and more than 700 arrests, with police reporting a 69% reduction in cybercrime incidents by August.
According to IG Rahul Prakash, earlier investigations primarily focused on analyzing mobile IMEI numbers and SIM cards used by the fraudsters. By linking these devices and cards to others involved in the scams, the police successfully uncovered the amounts defrauded from victims.
