Bajaj Finance Ltd (BFL)., India’s largest Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) in the private sector, and part of Bajaj Finserv, recentl...
Bajaj Finance Ltd (BFL)., India’s largest
Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) in the private sector, and part of Bajaj
Finserv, recently held a cyber fraud awareness programme in Salt Lake, Kolkata
- Knockout Digital Fraud - to inform digital users about different types of
threats, and best practices to safeguard finances.
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.
Addressing the audience during Bajaj Finance’s
“Knockout Digital Fraud” awareness initiative, Shri Kuldip Suresh Sonawane, IPS
– DCP(DD), Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate,* stressed the significance of
staying vigilant and avoiding falling for enticing or unrealistic investment
schemes circulating on social media or other platforms. He emphasized the
importance of safeguarding sensitive information and being cautious of
contemporary fraud tactics such as Digital Arrest, Job Fraud, Sextortion, OTP
fraud, and others. Sonawane advised the audience to exercise caution before
making any decisions or taking actions, urging them to think twice before
clicking on links or downloading apps from unknown senders. He warned that
these actions could lead to malicious links that remotely access devices and
potentially cause financial loss. He reiterated that cyber fraud can affect
anyone, and victims should *promptly register complaints during the “Golden
Hour” by calling 1930, using the NCRP portal, or visiting a local police
station to ensure swift action is taken.*
Saptarshi Bhattacharya, WBPS, ACP, DD, Bidhannagar
Police Commissionerate, highlighted that most scams occur due to two primary
reasons: a lack of knowledge about our own devices and technology , and human
greed—the desire to make quick money. He advised citizens to stay safe on
social and digital platforms, verify all links sent to them, and install only
verified apps from Google Play (for Android) or the App Store (for iOS). He
warned against trusting unknown APK files, which may install harmful apps that
share your data with fraudsters.
He further elaborated on threats such as Digital
Arrests, WhatsApp hacking, and Investment Scams. Bhattacharya cautioned,
“Fraudsters often exploit low awareness, luring individuals with false promises
of disproportionate appreciation of wealth. They may impersonate officials,
claim drugs were found in your parcel, or say your ATM has been blocked—then
trick you into revealing sensitive information or clicking harmful links. I
urge citizens to remain vigilant, report suspicious activity to the nearest Police
Station, and avoid interacting with unknown profiles online. Stay alert, stay
safe.”
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.”
Experts and dignitaries present at the event
included Kuldip Suresh Sonawane, IPS – DCP, DD, BDNPC, Shri Saptarshi
Bhattacharya, WBPS – ACP, DD, BDNPC & Addl Charge of ACP -Cyber, Sambiti
Chakraborty, WBPS-ACP, South, BDNPC, Manotosh Raj-IC, Cyber Crime PS, BDNPC,
Tanusree Das, O/C Women PS, Bidhannagar, Suvendu Mukherjee, O/C Computer,
Social Media Monitoring, Bidhannagar and Ram Narayan Paul, IC, Electronic
Complex PS. Retired Inspector General of Police, Sujit Kumar Sarkar and Retired
DCP Asim Das, Kolkata Police also graced the occasion.
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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