Mumbai, Mar 7 (PTI) The image of the cyber criminal wearing a hoodie, typing away on a laptop, and trying to hoodwink people is no longer true, as they now operate from factory-like setups with hundreds involved in generating huge revenue, Maharashtra Cyber Additional Director General of Police Yashasvi Yadav said on Friday.
Addressing a gathering after the launch of the helpline 022-65366666 by Brush of Hope in collaboration with Maharashtra Cyber to provide support to victims of cyberbullying and sextortion, he said two criminals involved in such activities last year bought a helicopter.
This is the kind of revenue they are generating, the ADG said while underscoring the reputation of Jamtara in Jharkhand as the hotbed of cybercrime activities.
"Even as we speak, 128 Indian girls are being subjected to cyberbullying and sextortion, and this number swells to about 15000 globally. We need necessary cyber-hygiene, as awareness is the best remedy against cyber crime. Any material you put on the internet will forever remain on some server across the globe. Even if you try to delete it, the digital footprint always remains," he said while asserting that "the Internet never forgets".
Yadav likened them as the biggest organised crime syndicate in the world and pointed out the complexity of the fight by informing that India has 70 crore smartphones.
Brush of Hope was founded by Sheetal Gagrani to provide support to the victims of cyberbullying and sextortion after her niece lost her life to cyberbullying and sextortion. The accused in the case have been arrested by Maharashtra Cyber.
The helpline was launched in the presence of BMC commissioner-cum-administrator Bhushan Gagrani, actors Farhan Akhtar and Jacqueline Fernandez as well as former actor Gayatri Oberoi, among others.