Hyderabad: The city police on Friday, February 21, organised a series of cybercrime awareness programmes across the city, cautioning students and residents against online frauds and urging them to exercise vigilance when using digital platforms.
In one such programme, the Saifabad Police conducted an awareness session at Ravindra Bharathi auditorium, attended by nearly 200 children from Kangara Kids in Lakdikapul. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sanjay explained common methods adopted by cyber scammers and warned against frauds in which callers pose as bank officials offering to enhance credit card limits and seek one-time passwords (OTP).
He advised the students never to share OTPs or bank details with anyone and to verify banking matters directly with their bank branch instead of acting on phone calls from unknown people.
In another programme held at Pragathi Maha Vidyalaya Degree and PG College in Abids under the “Jaagrut Hyderabad – Surakshit Hyderabad” initiative, senior officers highlighted the rise in investment scams, part-time job frauds circulated through social media, “digital arrest” calls and misuse of bank accounts as mule accounts.
Students were advised not to download unknown APK files or remote access applications and not to share bank details, PINs or passwords. Police urged victims to immediately report cyberfraud by dialling 1930 or through the official cybercrime portal.
The Secunderabad Zone Police also organised a cyber awareness programme at a private function hall in Jamia Osmania under Warasiguda Police Station limits.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Secunderabad Zone, Rakshitha Krishna Murthy spoke about how even routine online activities such as mobile gaming can be misused by fraudsters. She said users should avoid clicking on “free gift” pop-ups or suspicious links that may lead to malicious applications being installed on their devices.
She reiterated that OTPs must never be shared and that people should personally visit their bank in case of any financial query.
Police said such programmes would continue across the city to spread awareness and reduce cybercrime incidents.
