The information provided by the Union Home Ministry relating to cyber crimes in the country is a stark reminder of how huge the problem is.
The Parliament was informed that India lost Rs 22,845.73 crore to cyber criminals in the year 2024. It was also informed that in 2024 alone, 36.37 lakh incidents of financial fraud were reported through platforms such as the Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System.
When compared to the year 2023, there has been a jump of 206 per cent in such cases in the year 2024. While the numbers are one part of the story, the bigger issue is that a majority of these criminals are not based in India.
Some networks are operating from Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Tracking these persons is a mammoth task as these Chinese operators work from high-security locations.
Some of the key forms of cyber crimes are phishing, investment and e-commerce scams, trading frauds, romance and dating scams, and digital arrests. While these scams are also committed by frauds in India, the Chinese syndicate is largely involved in cyber frauds through which human trafficking takes place. In this, Indians are forced to work.
In this context, one would need to take a look at the cases relating to the Chinese apps. The lid was blown off when the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested one Kamaran Haider in connection with a human trafficking case. He was part of a large syndicate that was involved in human trafficking to the Golden Triangle Economic Zone, run by a Chinese triad leader.
One of the main reasons why this scam is thriving is because of the powerful syndicate that controls it. The Chinese syndicate works under the protection of the militia. The Chinese hackers have graduated since the early 2000s.
Initially, they were into hacking activities, which were driven by nationalism and political incidents. There were groups such as the China Eagle Union and the Honker Union of China. However, these were disbanded as the patriotic fervour declined.
Over the years, with the internet evolving, these hackers took advantage of the weak cybersecurity awareness. They then indulged in DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attacks, IP (intellectual property) theft, and game account stealing.
The Chinese cybercrime networks run like a structured firm. They resemble legitimate companies with hierarchies, which makes it extremely hard to track. There are platforms such as Tencent QQ and Baidu Tieba that indulge in illicit trade.
There are other similar platforms that have been indulging in money laundering. The Chinese Triads, one of the most dangerous Transnational Organised Crime (TOC) operate extensively in Southeast Asia. This group that was involved in drug trafficking from the Golden Triangle shifted to online scams post COVID-19.
A report by a web portal said that these scams are backed by the militia and the elites in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. Investigations have found that these persons exploit labour and also destabilise economies.
Some state-sponsored hackers target government and private organisations across India and other parts of Southeast Asia. The hub that has been set up in Myanmar largely focuses on human trafficking. They lure people with lucrative jobs and then force them to conduct online fraud and scams on the phone.
These persons indulge in fake investment schemes and phishing. The Chinese Triad operating out of the Golden Triangle in Laos is involved in the cyber slavery racket. The investigations by the National Investigation Agency state that it is a well-oiled racket. These people have created apps whereby people are offered easy loans. However, the interest rates are high and any failure to repay the same results in threats and humiliation.
Investigations suggest that the Chinese cybercriminals can operate without any problems. The authorities in Laos are powerless to stop them. The zone in which they operate is referred to as a de facto Chinese colony. This is a major gambling hub that is situated in the Bokeo province along the Mekong River, where Laos-Thailand and Myanmar meet.
The fact that the law enforcement agencies have limited access to the zone only makes the job easier for these cyber criminals. The Indian government has acknowledged that this is a major issue and has established the Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (14C) to fight this problem.
Multiple arrests have been made thanks to the coordinated efforts of multiple agencies. Several Indian citizens who fell victim to the cyber slavery scam have been rescued in recent months. The Indian agencies have managed to rescue 540 Indians, including 28 women. All these persons were lured into the cybercrime network with fake job offers.
These persons were rescued from Thailand and other nations and were brought back in an Indian Air Force (IAF) transport aircraft in two batches. There are still around 2,000 Indians who remain trapped. Efforts are on to bring them back, but some have refused to return owing to fears.
This means that the rescue efforts are challenging. To fight this menace, India has also signed agreements with Cambodia and Myanmar. Further, the Indian officials are coordinating with international law enforcement agencies to provide witness protection.
(With inputs from IANS)
