Question : Phone Frauds

(a) whether complaints have been received by the Government regarding inducements received through fraudulent e-mails and SMSs regarding selection in lottery and other schemes and instances of theft of money using phone calls and OTPs;

(b) if so, the details of the complaints received in this regard during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(c) whether the Government has set up a Committee on Phone Frauds to tackle this issue, if so, the details and outcome thereof;

(d) whether there is any stringent law against the entities offering such fraudulent inducements;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) if not, whether the Government proposes to make any amendment in the existing law and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

(a) to (b): National Crime Record Bureau does not maintain data on phone frauds. However, ‘Police’ and ‘Public order’ are State subjects as per the constitution of India and States are primarily responsible for prevention,


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L.S.US.Q.NO.3428 FOR 07.08.2018


detection and investigation of crime through their law enforcement machinery. The Law Enforcement Agencies take legal action as per the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, 2000 against the cyber fraud offenders.

(c): Ministry of Home Affairs has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Phone Fraud (IMCPF) having members of all stakeholder organizations, namely, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Department of Financial Services, Department of Telecommunication, Reserve Bank of India and law enforcement agencies, to address the problem. FCORD - FICN Coordination Agency has been designated as Central Nodal Agency for this purpose and ADGP/IGP Crime in each State/UT is the State Nodal Officer. This Ministry has issued an advisory on “steps to check phone frauds” dated 12th February 2018 to all State Governments/UT Administrations.

(d) to (f): Adequate legal provisions exist in the Information Technology Act, 2000 along with Indian Penal Code, 1860 to deal with cyber safety and cyber-crime issues. Further, amendment to law is an ongoing process to take care of emerging needs.




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