Hyderabad, July 10 (Maxim News): Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar on Friday called for a coordinated national crackdown on mule accounts and ghost SIMs, describing them as the backbone of cybercrime networks.
Sajjanar warned that Hyderabad alone loses nearly ₹1 crore every day to cyber frauds and stressed that eliminating these enablers is essential to protecting citizens and strengthening digital trust.
Sajjanar made the remarks while inaugurating the National Round Table on Digital Trust & Citizen Protection, jointly organised by the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI), Hyderabad City Police and Protiviti India at Federation House in Hyderabad.
The event also saw the release of a Citizens’ Handbook on Digital Fraud Awareness and Prevention.
Hyderabad | VC Sajjanar Calls for United Fight Against Cyber Fraud
Addressing more than 200 participants, including police officers, bankers, cybersecurity experts, telecom professionals, legal specialists, policymakers and industry leaders, Sajjanar said mule accounts and ghost SIMs serve as the lifeline of organised cybercrime.
Therefore, banks, telecom companies, regulators and law enforcement agencies must work together to eliminate them.
He said India should aspire to reach a stage where banks can confidently display boards stating that they have no mule accounts.
Sajjanar also urged citizens to remember the National Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930, describing it as the “golden hour” lifeline for victims.
He said immediate reporting significantly increases the chances of freezing fraudulent transactions and recovering stolen money.
The Commissioner noted that cybercrime has evolved into one of the world’s most organised criminal enterprises, using advanced technology, social engineering and cross border networks to target unsuspecting citizens.
Therefore, combating digital fraud requires cooperation among government agencies, banks, telecom operators, technology companies, educational institutions, industry bodies and the public.
He emphasised that awareness remains the strongest defence against cyber fraud. Every citizen, he said, should resolve not to become a victim of online scams because prevention is more effective than recovering losses after a crime occurs.
FTCCI President R. Ravi Kumar said rapid digital transformation has improved lives and businesses but has also created new security risks. Therefore, collective efforts are essential to build trust in India’s expanding digital ecosystem.
Setting the context for the discussions, FTCCI ICT Committee Co Chair Pankaj Diwan said India records nearly 25 billion digital financial transactions, while more than 10,000 cyber fraud cases are reported every day. (Maxim News)
Combating digital fraud
He stressed that coordinated action is necessary to make India one of the safest countries for digital transactions.
The programme featured expert sessions on the state of digital fraud, citizen experiences and industry perspectives. Speakers discussed banking frauds, telecom related scams, identity theft, AI powered frauds, deepfakes, legal safeguards and consumer protection measures.
The round table also held thematic discussions on human behaviour and digital trust, banking transformation, telecom and digital identity, regulatory reforms, and emerging threats from artificial intelligence.
Participants submitted recommendations aimed at improving cyber resilience, strengthening public awareness and enhancing coordination among stakeholders.
Summarising the deliberations, FTCCI ICT Committee member Dr. Shreeram Iyer said technology alone cannot solve cyber fraud. Instead, awareness, accountability, regulation and innovation must work together to build long term digital trust.
FTCCI announced that it will organise similar awareness programmes and stakeholder consultations regularly. The chamber also said it will publish a White Paper based on the recommendations emerging from the national round table. (Maxim News)
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