Belagavi: Cyber fraud cases are on the rise in Belagavi district, with scammers adopting new tactics to cheat people through digital platforms. Fraudsters are obtaining OTPs by posing as representatives of health services, banks, address update agencies and parcel return services. Several residents have lost lakhs of rupees after sharing confidential details while booking hospital appointments or attempting to return unwanted parcels. The Cyber, Economic and Narcotics (CEN) police have urged online shoppers and digital payment users to remain vigilant and never share OTPs, banking credentials or personal information with unknown callers.Cybercrime is growing rapidly in Belagavi, driven by mule bank accounts, digital arrest scams and malicious APK files. Local police have uncovered thousands of illegal accounts and several high-profile extortion cases.Belagavi superintendent of police K Ramarajan has flagged large-scale misuse of mule accounts in the district, with nearly 2,900 suspicious bank accounts identified by the CID. Police suspect the operation is part of an organised racket. Several mule accounts linked to fraudulent transactions have been blocked, and officials are examining transaction trails.Earlier, cyber fraudsters commonly posed as customs officials, judges or CBI officers to dupe victims. They have now shifted to tactics involving online shopping refunds, address changes and verification requests.Officials said people often search Google for helpline numbers while seeking assistance, creating opportunities for fraudsters. By operating fake mobile numbers, websites and social media accounts, cybercriminals lure victims and deceive them through a variety of schemes.According to cyber police, a man in Belagavi recently lost Rs 98,000 after searching online for a doctor’s appointment. Four days ago, fraudsters siphoned off Rs 1 lakh from the bank account of a Ganeshpur resident. Police have since cracked the network and succeeded in recovering the amount through banking channels.CEN police officials said online shoppers should remain cautious and not assume that a number found on Google is official. Contact details available on a company’s authorised website or app should be used. People should avoid clicking suspicious links, opening UPI applications on the instructions of strangers, or sharing UPI PINs, OTPs and bank details. They also advised against downloading screen-sharing applications or APK files from unverified sources.City police commissioner Bhushan Gulab Rao Borase said greater public awareness of digital safety was essential to effectively curb the activities of cyber fraudsters.
