Haryana Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur urged bank officials that while opening the account of any person in their bank, they should ensure that his bank account is linked to the mobile number given in his Aadhaar card. In this regard, bank officials should prepare an action plan so that necessary steps can be taken towards stopping cybercrime.
Kapur was presiding over the meeting with representatives from both private and government banks, focusing on the prevention of cybercrime. Additional Director General of Police Cyber, Shri OP Singh, and Inspector General Ambala, Sibas Kaviraj, provided in-depth insights into the challenges associated with combating cybercrimes within the banking sector through a detailed PowerPoint presentation. During the meeting, Director General Shatrujit Kapoor outlined three key focal areas for bank officials to work on: Training for Nodal Officers: Kapoor stressed the importance of training the bank’s nodal officers, in conjunction with the police personnel assigned to cyber helplines, in matters of cybersecurity. This coordinated effort ensures that, during the critical early stages of cybercrime complaints, the bank accounts can be swiftly frozen. Aadhaar-Mobile Number Linkage Kapur urged bank officials to link the mobile numbers mentioned in a person’s Aadhaar card to their bank accounts when they are being opened. This linkage substantially reduces the risk of cybercrimes. Monitoring Suspicious Transactions: He underscored the necessity for bank officials to keep a watchful eye on suspicious financial transactions. Each bank account follows a distinct pattern of financial activities, and bank officials should exercise their discretion to block suspicious transactions promptly. Director General Kapoor further directed bank officials to establish efficient mechanisms for refunding the recovered amounts to the original account holders following the resolution of cybercrimes. Additionally, here commended the geofencing of point-of-sale (POS) machines to halt transactions beyond predefined limits. Furthermore, Mr Kapur revealed that meetings with telecom companies are underway to enhance efforts to track down cybercriminals by tracing their SIM cards and mobile devices used in cybercrimes. The collective goal is to prevent cyber crimes proactively and safeguard the public from falling victim to cyber fraud. The Director General emphasized the need for a collaborative effort among all agencies to reduce cybercrime cases. This, he noted, can be achieved only through a unified approach, a shared understanding of the entire process, and a deep commitment to fulfilling responsibilities diligently.
Kapoor highlighted a successful pilot project with HDFC Bank aimed at expediting responses to complaints received through the cyber helpline number, 1930. Based on positive results, this model is now being extended to other banks, with plans to deploy bank nodal officers alongside helpline personnel to ensure smoother coordination and action on complaints. ADGP Cyber OP Singh underlined the bank’s responsibility to safeguard account holders’ deposits. He called for banks to continually assess and enhance their systems to maintain the trust of account holders and protect their hard-earned money. Singh also stressed the need for prompt action by bank nodal officers connected to the cyber crime helpline and warned that any negligence in this regard would be dealt with seriously. Expressing his views during the meeting, IG Ambala Sibas Kaviraj highlighted the recent successes in retrieving funds within 30 minutes in most cases of cyber fraud, thanks to the collaborative efforts initiated with HDFC Bank.
He reinforced the public’s trust in banks to protect their finances and emphasized the bank’s pivotal role in ensuring the safety of people’s money. Senior officials of SBI, Axis, Canara, Union Bank, ICICI and many other banks were present at the meeting.
