Bajaj Finance Ltd. (BFL), India’s largest private-sector Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) and part of Bajaj Finserv, conducted a cyber fraud awareness programme in Krishnagiri-Knockout Digital Fraud-to educate digital users about emerging threats and best practices to safeguard their finances.
The event was graced by the esteemed presence of distinguished guests, including J. Mettilda Joshy, Cybercrime Inspector of Police, Krishnagiri, and N. Ramamoorthy, retired Deputy Superintendent of Police. Other officers, whose participation lent great significance to the occasion, were R. Rabel Reddy (Retd. Asst Conservator of Forests); K. Rajagopal (Retd. SI); R. Selvaraj (Retd. Station Fire Officer) and S. Gnanasekaran (Retd. Dy SP).
In their address to the audience, both speakers-renowned for their awareness initiatives-shed light on the growing menace of digital frauds in and around Krishnagiri. They cautioned citizens against scams such as fake OTP requests, phishing, digital arrest schemes, loan fraud, pension fraud, and other financial deceptions.
Emphasizing the alarming rise in cybercrime, Inspector Mettilda revealed that four cases had already been registered within the first week of February, three of which involved retired employees. She further noted: “Every day, at least 20 cases of online scams are reported. Our team freezes nearly 50 bank accounts daily- accounts created by fraudsters to deceive unsuspecting citizens.”
She went on to elaborate on the sophisticated tactics employed by scamsters to mislead unsuspecting victims. “Fraudsters impersonate senior police officials-sometimes even claiming to be DIG or IG-and operate from setups designed to resemble legitimate police offices. They intimidate people by falsely accusing them of criminal involvement and then extort large sums of money,” she explained.
Offering reassurance and urging collective vigilance, Inspector Mettilda encouraged citizens to come forward without hesitation and seek police assistance. “Public cooperation is essential to curb the menace of online scams,” she emphasized.
The Knockout Digital Fraud programme aligns with the Reserve Bank of India’s 2024 guidelines on Fraud Risk management for NBFCs, which emphasises early detection, staff accountability, and public engagement to make the digital ecosystem safer for everyone.
The programme is focused on drawing citizens’ attention to common financial frauds committed by scammers including fake social media accounts, WhatsApp groups and websites that mimic financial companies, falsely claiming affiliation and impersonating their employees.
Speaking on the occasion, a spokesperson from BFL, said, “The financial safety of our consumers is paramount to us. We are constantly issuing online and offline advisories, on social media platforms, as well as through on-ground interactions with citizens, encouraging everyone to be cyber safe.”
Knockout Digital Fraud offers the cyber community valuable safety tips on safeguarding personal and sensitive information. This includes refraining from sharing OTPs, PINs, clicking on suspicious emails, SMSs, links, QR codes and downloading applications from unknown sources. It includes a series of interactive workshops, digital awareness drives, and community outreach programs across major cities and towns.
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