The Centre on Friday issued a warning regarding “fake emails” being received in the name of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), which is responsible for monitoring cyber crime across the country. These emails are targeted at individuals and falsely accuse them of cyber crimes, urging them to respond.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) fact-check unit shared a sample of a fake email on its Twitter account. The email appears to be from the cyber crime agency's administrator, and it concludes with the name of its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), IPS officer Rajesh Kumar. The email also instructs recipients to reply within 24 to 48 hours, or else they will face consequences. The government's fact-checking unit, however, alerted the public to this deception.

In a tweet, the PIB fact-check unit provided a link for individuals to report such fake emails through the “National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal,” clarifying, “These emails are fake. No such email is being sent by any agency of the Government of India.”

The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) is an initiative under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) aimed at addressing cyber crime in the country through coordinated and comprehensive measures. Since its launch on October 5, 2018, it has focused on “strengthening the nation's collective ability to combat cybercrimes and fostering effective coordination among Law Enforcement Agencies.”

Awareness drive on cyber crimes

The Government of India is organising a meme and reel competition called ‘CyberMeme’ and ‘CyberReel’ through the National Cyber Crime Reporting portal. The last date for registration is Friday. The portal mentions the ‘Cyberdost Twitter handle’ as the organiser, and registration can be done through https://www.mygov.in/home/1381/do/

The program aims to raise awareness about what constitutes a ‘cyber crime’.

Functions of cyber crime reporting portal

The National Cyber Crime Reporting portal is an Indian government initiative that allows victims or complainants to report cyber crime incidents online.

-The portal focuses primarily on complaints related to cyber crimes against women and children.

-Complaints submitted through this portal are handled by law enforcement agencies or the police, based on the details provided in the complaints.

-"Please contact local police in case of an emergency or for reporting crimes other than cyber crimes. National police helpline number is 112. National women helpline number is 181 and Cyber Crime Helpline is 1930," the portal says.

-The portal offers an opportunity to learn about cyber crimes. Additionally, the portal provides information about “Internet safety for kids”.

Safe Practices to prevent cyber crime

-Stay away from sudden pop-up messages, unfamiliar emails, and suspicious links.

-Ensure your passwords are strong and use methods like authentication to protect your accounts.

-Keep your software up to date and regularly make copies of your important files as a backup.