Uttar Pradesh police warn of growing hybrid cybercrime threat, stress public awareness

Amid rising cases in Uttar Pradesh of hybrid cybercrime by fraud networks, the State police officials on Saturday (May 30, 2026) said dedicated safety protocols and awareness drive with a multi-dimensional approach is a must to curb the threat, as it bypasses traditional security models. “Hybrid cybercrime has evolved from isolated financial fraud into a fully digital-identity compromise model. Such cases should be treated as digital identity takeover cases rather than simple cyber fraud cases. International and inter-state cyber fraud networks now target Gmail, iCloud, mobile numbers, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, banking apps, UPI IDs, cloud photos, contacts, documents and recovery accounts,” said Vineet Singh, a Deputy Superintendent of Police posted in the state police who dealt with numerous such cases. “Once one primary account is compromised, criminals use it to reset passwords, intercept OTPs, impersonate the victim, blackmail the victim, access bank/payment apps, and target the victim’s family, friends and professional network. The most dangerous element is that these crimes are no longer limited to one platform. A typical fraud may begin with a phishing link, fake courier call, fake police call, fake job/investment scheme, remote-access app or SIM-swap attempt, and then expand into full control of email, phone, cloud, social media and financial accounts,” he said. Speaking about the threat landscape and high-risk targets, Mr. Singh said, “Senior citizens, students and young job seekers, small business owners and traders, women and minors vulnerable to blackmail, morphing and sextortion, and individuals using the same password across multiple accounts are potential easy targets,”. He said digital survival protocol, like securing the primary email and Cloud account through the use of a strong and unique password for Gmail, enabling two-factor authentication for Google, Apple, Meta, WhatsApp and banking-related accounts, keeping recovery phone number and recovery email updated, are key factors people need to keep in mind. “In rural areas and among less educated, public messaging should be clear that no police officer, bank officer, courier agent, telecom employee, government official, Google, Apple, Meta, WhatsApp or UPI representative will ask for OTP, password, PIN, QR scan, screen sharing or remote access,” the DSP added. On a dedicated mechanism by Uttar Pradesh Police to nab such fraud networks, the officer said, “Uttar Pradesh Police has a dedicated cybercrime structure which should be strengthened and used uniformly across all districts. We have District Cyber Crime police stations and cyber cells, which are monitored by cyber crime headquarters in Lucknow. U.P. Police has expanded its 1930 cyber helpline capacity with a dedicated call-centre setup in Lucknow, including a focus on quicker complaint intake and coordination with banks, telecom operators and digital platforms. We have expanded cyber police infrastructure and trained a large number of police personnel in cybercrime investigation and prevention,”. Singh proposed the need for a multi-agency and multi-pronged approach. “A multi-agency approach is essential because these crimes involve multiple systems: victim device, email platform, telecom SIM, bank account, UPI network, social media platform, hosting provider, domain registrar, VPN provider and sometimes foreign infrastructure. Single-agency action is insufficient. I suggest a multi-pronged strategy, like monthly cyber-awareness campaigns in every district, awareness in schools, colleges, banks, panchayats, RWAs, markets and coaching centres, local-language posters, radio messages and social media videos. Special campaigns for senior citizens and women. All police station staff should be trained to guide victims to 1930 immediately. No victim should be asked to “come tomorrow” in financial cyber fraud. The first response must focus on fund-freezing and evidence preservation,” he added.