T’puram: Home minister Ramesh Chennithala told the assembly that the state police have stepped up efforts to combat cyber-enabled financial fraud by blocking nearly 2,000 illegal loan apps and more than 5,000 fake websites used for online scams.The minister said the govt was treating the growing cybercrime threat with utmost seriousness and was formulating a comprehensive strategy to tackle emerging forms of digital fraud. He noted that cybercrime has become widespread across the state, with every district reporting more than 1,000 cases.Chennithala said police were registering cases under Section 66D of the Information Technology Act and Section 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita based on complaints received from victims.He said internet access to 1,836 loan apps operating without approval from the Reserve Bank of India has been blocked, while more than 5,000 fraudulent websites used for financial scams have been taken down. He added that cyber patrolling has also been strengthened to detect and prevent online offences.The minister also expressed concern over the misuse of online gaming platforms for financial fraud, particularly targeting children. He said the govt was intensifying awareness campaigns in schools and other educational institutions to educate students about the risks associated with online gaming and cyber fraud.
