Do not download unnecessary apps, people told

Tirupati: District SP P Parameswar Reddy said that these days the crimes have transformed from physical crimes to cybercrimes/online crimes in which even educated people, senior citizens and others were becoming victims.

Addressing a cybercrime awareness meeting organised by the Tirupati Police Department at Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visvavidyalayam auditorium on Tuesday, he said that several youth, employees, students etc., have been falling in the money trap and honey traps.

They could not even come out and tell others that they became victims and have been suffering psychologically which in several cases was leading to suicidal tendencies too. The objective of the awareness meeting was to educate people on how to act swiftly when someone is caught in the cybercrime trap and get justice. The SP said that the fraudsters target youth who extensively use mobile phones and laptops by luring them with personal conversations which ultimately lead to financial frauds. "By giving mobiles to children, without their knowledge, the family videos are going into the hands of fraudsters who are morphing them to blackmail and demand money," he said.

To avoid such things, it is better not to download unnecessary apps and act wisely when someone asks for money or personal details like Aadhar number etc. in the name of E-KYC, the SP said. On the occasion, Vice-Chancellor of SPMVV Prof K Raja Reddy, Registrar Prof N Rajani, SP Parameswar Reddy and others released 'Mobile Hunt' app which can be used by people of the district and the pilgrims visiting Tirupati when their mobile is lost.