Students cautioned against cyber fraud, crimes against women

The Chittoor police on Saturday organised an awareness meet on cybercrimes, crimes against women, drug abuse and road safety as part of sensitising students of various educational institutions at Sri Vidya Educational Institutions campus here.

Urban Inspector (Law and Order) M. Maheswara and Circle Inspector (Crime) P. Umamaheswara Rao addressed the students and faculty, highlighting emerging social and cyber threats and the importance of responsible behaviour among youth.

The Inspector urged students to stay away from narcotic substances, warning that drug abuse could destroy careers, families and futures. He underlined the need to adopt a healthy lifestyle and maintain clear personal goals to contribute positively to society. Referring to the rise in cyber offences, he advised students to use social media cautiously and avoid clicking on unknown links or responding to suspicious messages.

He also briefed students on women’s safety initiatives, particularly the ‘Shakti’ mobile application, which enables women to seek immediate police assistance during emergencies, and urged women students to download the app. He further highlighted road safety norms, stressing on wearing helmets and seat belts.

Mr. Umamaheswara Rao briefed the gathering about cyber frauds, especially the emerging ‘digital arrest’ scam. He explained that fraudsters impersonate cyber police officials and threaten victims through phone or video calls, falsely claiming legal action to extort money. The police never conduct arrests digitally and urged students not to panic if they receive such calls, the Inspector clarified.

“Victims of cyber fraud should immediately report incidents to the national cybercrime helpline 1930 and avoid sharing personal or banking details on social media platforms,” he said.