Why Citizens Must File Cyber Frauds Complaints on National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal

The advent of new age technologies has been a double edged sword in the industry. While it has done a world of good across sectors, bad actors have been taking advantage of the modern technologies to carry out sophisticated cyber frauds. While Deep Fake is the latest AI fraud that is causing ripples, other cyber fraud strategies are being continually deployed by cyber criminals. To tackle this menace, Government of India has yet again reminded users to launch complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.

What is the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal?

The National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) operated under I4C was officially inaugurated on 30 August 2019. The earlier iteration of the Cybercrime reporting portal, operating under the CCPWC scheme, facilitated the submission of complaints related exclusively to Cybercrimes such as Child Pornography (CP) and Rape or Gang Rape (RGR), specifically focusing on sexually abusive content.

Undergoing a substantial overhaul, the revamped version of the portal now allows for the reporting of a broader spectrum of Cybercrimes. The Home Minister of India dedicated the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) to the nation on 20 January  2020, marking a crucial milestone in the country's efforts to combat and address various forms of Cybercrimes.

Salient Features of National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal

Some of the reasons why citizens must file a complaint on the portal are as follows:

• Comprehensive platform for reporting from any location.
• Specific focus on reporting content related to online Child Sex Abuse Material and incidents of Rape or Gang Rape.
• Monitoring dashboards are in place at the National, State, and District levels to oversee Cybercrime incidents, providing a multi-tiered system for efficient tracking and management.
• Complainants benefit from an online status tracking facility, enhancing transparency and keeping them informed throughout the reporting process.
• A cadre of Cyber Volunteers, registered as Cyber Awareness Promoters, contributes to the initiative, further bolstering efforts to address and prevent Cybercrimes.
• The NCRP introduces Vani-CyberDost Chatbot, an automated assistant with predefined features, providing users with a responsive and user-friendly interface for navigating the portal.
• The addition of the "Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System" module connects 85 Banks, Payment Intermediaries, and Wallets with the Cybercrime Backend Portal. This integration facilitates the reporting of cyber financial frauds via the National Helpline number 1930.
• The 1930 National Helpline number is operational in all States and Union Territories, serving as a centralized point for citizens to report various Cybercrimes, ensuring a coordinated and efficient response nationwide.

There is also an online status tracking facility that citizens can utilise. The Indian Government claims that since the introduction of the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System, over 1.277 million complaints have been recorded as of 15 November 2023. Consequently, a substantial financial sum exceeding Rs 930 Crore has been safeguarded across more than 380,000 reported cases. Thos who wish to file complaints are advised to visit the official website for further details.