The Press Information Bureau (PIB), Kohima, under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, organised a one-day media workshop, Varta, on “Cyber Suraksha Abhiyan: Protecting Citizens from Digital Fraud” at Hotel Japfu, Kohima, on August 21.
The workshop brought together cyber security experts from NIELIT, Kohima, including Atoshe Lohe, Principal and Forensic Analyst and Visezo Dahou, Faculty, Cyber Security.
Addressing the workshop, Lohe spoke on the Money Restoration and Grievance Redressal modules of the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs in April 2026. He said the modules were introduced to facilitate the recovery of funds lost through financial fraud and address grievances, including cases involving frozen bank accounts.
Lohe cautioned citizens against the increasing use of social media and digital applications by cyber fraudsters. He said scammers were increasingly resorting to fake investment schemes and impersonating banks and financial institutions to deceive users. He advised citizens to download applications only from trusted and official sources, warning that remote-access applications such as AnyDesk could be misused to gain control of devices and access sensitive information.
He also stressed the importance of reporting cyber fraud during the “golden hours” immediately after an incident, saying early reporting could improve the chances of tracing and recovering stolen funds. Victims were urged to report financial cyber fraud immediately through the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Lohe further highlighted the challenges faced by investigators due to the use of multiple digital platforms and encrypted communication channels, stressing the need for regular training and capacity building among law-enforcement agencies to address emerging cyber threats.
Dahou highlighted the growing financial impact of cyber fraud in India. According to figures presented during the workshop, the country recorded ₹22,495 crore in losses to cyber fraud in 2025, with 28.15 lakh complaints registered. He said fake investment and trading scams accounted for 76 per cent of the reported financial losses.
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Urging citizens to adopt the “Pause, Verify, Report” approach, Dahou advised people to verify suspicious calls, messages, links and investment offers before taking any action. He cautioned against guaranteed-return schemes, fake trading platforms, “digital arrest” scams, AI voice-cloning fraud, fake loan applications and APK files received through unofficial sources.
He also reminded citizens never to disclose OTPs, PINs, CVVs or passwords and clarified that a UPI PIN is required only for sending money, not for receiving it. In cases of sextortion or online blackmail, he advised victims not to pay or communicate with the perpetrators, but to preserve evidence and report the matter.
Dahou further advised victims of financial cyber fraud to immediately call 1930, contact their bank through its official helpline and file a complaint through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. He stated that ₹11,158 crore had been saved through the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System across more than 32.80 lakh complaints, with figures recorded up to June 30, 2026.
The workshop was attended by representatives of local media houses, members of the Kohima Press Club, Akashvani Kohima, Doordarshan Kendra Kohima and PTI, along with students from St. Joseph’s College and Nagaland University.
