Srinagar : With the increasing use of digital payments, online banking, smartphones, and internet-based services in Jammu & Kashmir, cybercrime cases have been steadily rising. According to official NCRB data, cybercrime cases in Jammu & Kashmir stood at 73 in 2019, increased to 120 in 2020, 154 in 2021, 173 in 2022, and reached 185 in 2023. This consistent rise shows that cybercrime is no longer a minor or occasional threat in the region. (Source: MHA / NCRB – Crime in India)
Telecom companies are also becoming part of cyber security efforts. In February 2026, Airtel launched its AI-powered OTP Fraud Alert feature to protect customers from OTP-related banking frauds. According to the company, the system detects high-risk situations where a banking OTP is received during a potentially suspicious incoming call and provides customers with a real-time fraud alert.
This feature is important because fraudsters often manipulate people at the exact moment an OTP is delivered. A real-time alert gives customers an opportunity to pause, think, verify, and stay in control of their security.
Cybercriminals use phone calls, messages, fake links, and impersonation techniques to deceive people. Across the country, common methods of online fraud include scam calls, phishing, fake customer care numbers, KYC update messages, bank or payment wallet fraud, and scams carried out in the name of government officials.
These methods are particularly dangerous because fraudsters create fear, urgency, or trust in the victim’s mind, leading people to share sensitive information or unknowingly approve fraudulent transactions.
OTP-related fraud is one of the most serious cyber threats. Fraudsters often keep victims engaged on a phone call and, when a banking OTP arrives, persuade them to share it or approve the transaction. Once the OTP is shared, money can quickly be transferred across multiple accounts. Therefore, OTPs, PINs, passwords, CVV numbers, and UPI PINs should never be shared with anyone, even if the caller claims to be from a bank, a government department, the police, or customer care.
To strengthen cybercrime reporting, the Ministry of Home Affairs has established the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. To enable immediate reporting of financial cyber fraud and prevent stolen money from being further siphoned off, the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System was launched in 2021. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, as of October 31, 2025, this system had helped save more than ₹7,130 crore across over 23.02 lakh complaints. The toll-free helpline 1930 is also operational to assist citizens in registering online cybercrime complaints. (Source: PIB / MHA – Cyber Security and Financial Fraud Combat)
For victims in Jammu & Kashmir, timely reporting is extremely important. If someone becomes a victim of online financial fraud, they should immediately call 1930 and register a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in. The sooner the complaint is filed, the greater the chances of freezing the funds before they are transferred further.
The Government of India’s Sanchar Saathi platform is also playing an important role in digital security. Under this initiative, the Chakshu facility allows citizens to report suspicious fraud communications received through calls, SMS, or WhatsApp. This includes fraud related to bank accounts, payment wallets, SIM cards, gas connections, electricity services, KYC updates, impersonation of government officials, sextortion, and other telecom-based misuse. (Source: DoT / PIB – Chakshu on Sanchar Saathi)
