Modi said several people had asked him to speak on Digital Arrest, the term used for the cyber fraud menace where fraudsters make calls impersonating police personnel, or sleuths from CBI or Narcotics Control Bureau and at times the Reserve Bank of India to get information from unsuspecting people. The PM underlined that it is very important for people to understand this “dangerous game” and the modus operandi of the gangs.
“The First Move is that they collect all of your personal information… ‘You went to Goa last month, didn’t you? Your daughter studies in Delhi, right’? They collect so much information about you that you will be surprised,” he said.
The next move is to scare the person into sharing information or acting in haste.
“The Second Move is to create an atmosphere of fear… Uniform, government office set-up (as the background in the video call), (citing) legal sections… they will scare you so much on the phone… In the midst of the conversation, you will not be able to even think,” Modi said.
The third step is to set a deadline for the victim to take action. “Third Move is creating time pressure. ‘You have to decide now or else you will be arrested’ – these people create so much psychological pressure on the victim that one gets scared. People from every class and age group fall victim to Digital Arrest. People have lost lakhs of rupees earned through their hard work, out of sheer fear,” the prime minister said.The government has run information campaigns against cybercrimes on radio, television and newspapers from time to time. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and other government bodies have also issued statements cautioning people against sharing bank and credit/debit card details on calls made to them from unknown numbers.“Whenever you receive such a call, don’t be scared. You should be aware that no investigative agency ever enquires like this through a phone call or a video call. I am enumerating the three steps to Digital Security. These three steps are – ‘Stop- Think- and Take Action’. As soon as you get a call, stop- do not panic, stay calm, don’t take any hasty steps, don’t give away your personal information to anyone; if possible take a screenshot and record it,” Modi said.
The person should then think with a cool head before taking any step. “No government agency threatens you on the phone like this, neither enquires nor demands money on a video call like this. If you feel scared, then know that something is wrong,” Modi said.
The third step in such a scenario should be to report the call. “Dial the national cyber helpline 1930, report on cybercrime.gov.in, inform family and police, and preserve evidence. ‘Stop’, then ‘Think’, and then take ‘Action’- these three steps will become the protector of your digital security,” the prime minister said.
There is no system like “digital arrest” in the law, this is just a fraud, deceit, lie, Modi emphasised, adding that criminals involved in such acts are “enemies of society”.
He assured that the investigative agencies are working in tandem with state governments to deal with such digital arrest cases.
“For synchronization among these agencies, a National Cyber Coordination Centre has been set up. Thousands of such fraudulent video calling IDs have been blocked by the agencies. Lakhs of SIM cards, mobile phones and bank accounts have also been blocked. Agencies are doing their job, but for protection from scams in the name of digital arrest, it is very important that everyone is aware, every citizen is aware,” Modi said.
He also encouraged victims to spread the word about such cases so that more and more people are wary of cyber frauds. He suggested the hashtag- #SafeDigitalIndia- for this purpose.
Educational institutions should also rope in students in the campaign against cyber-crimes, the PM said, emphasising on the need for a collective effort.
