Topping the list of complaints received by the Coimbatore City Cyber Crime Cell are obscenity and representation of nudity, which hover at 121, mostly from college girls. Email hacking and blackmailing which were at 240 and ATM fraud complaints standing at 95 are other modes by which outlaws outwit the common man in cyberspace.

Fraudsters use skimmers and card swapping methods to steal money from gullible account holders. Cold calls are placed to get card information and OTP (One Time Pass word) by imposters and racketeers.

“Email hacking and blackmailing complaints are on the rise, if the data provided by the City Cyber Crime Cell is any indication. In 2016, such complaints kept pouring in as email accounts were hacked and complainants received threatening emails,” said Assistant Commissioner VMP Asaithampi of City Cyber Cell.

“Targeting college girls, blackmailers use social media, messengers and even SMSes to stalk them electronically and spread obscene messages about them,” said Prema, Inspector, City Cyber Crime Cell.

“This abuse might be the new age eve-teasing or harassment. Such cases are handled with sensitivity and sorted out informally for the benefit of the girl, often forgoing formal complaints,” Prema said.

“Cases are being filed under the Information Technology Act (67 A) for any obscene and nude representation of girls. Sharing mobile numbers, accepting friend requests from strangers and posting photos on social media is best avoided by young girls. If they are harassed online, the victims should not hesitate to file a complaint with the Cyber Cell,” Cyber Crime police say.

“In recent times, a couple of girls in the city have ended their lives after being harassed online by their stalkers,” they said.

While Cyber Crime Police maintain that remote operators from Bihar and Jharkhand are behind the ATM and OTP frauds, they say online job racket complaints have also skyrocketed in recent times. “We have so far filed about 40 complaints regarding online job rackets. Caution should be the watchword as cyber criminals use clever methods and tools to defraud the public,” they warn.