The awareness campaign in Ahmedabad is part of Bajaj Finance’s comprehensive 100-city cybersecurity initiative. It aims to educate citizens about various cyber threats and provide strategies to protect their finances from fraudsters.
Ahmedabad: Bajaj Finance Ltd (BFL), India’s leading Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) in the private sector and a part of Bajaj Finserv, hosted a cyber fraud awareness program in Ahmedabad today – Knockout Digital Fraud. This initiative aims to educate digital users about various types of threats and the best practices to protect their finances.
The Knockout Digital Fraud Program is in line with the Reserve Bank of India’s 2024 guidelines on Fraud Risk Management for Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs). These guidelines stress the importance of early detection, staff accountability, and public engagement to enhance the safety of the digital ecosystem for all users.
The program aims to raise awareness among citizens about prevalent financial frauds perpetrated by scammers. This includes deceptive social media accounts, WhatsApp groups, and websites that imitate legitimate financial companies, falsely asserting affiliations and impersonating their employees.
Addressing the audience during Bajaj Finance’s “Knockout Digital Fraud” awareness initiative, Police Inspector, Ahmedabad Cyber Police Range, Ms. Miral Boricha informed the audience, “To be alert and not fall for lucrative or unrealistic investment schemes floating on social media channels, and always keep the sensitive information safe. She said don’t consider cyber fraud as social stigma, it can happen with anyone, but one must immediately register a complaint in the “Golden Hour” on 1930, so that action can be taken immediately to stop the fraud”, she added.
Speaking during the fraud awareness initiative, Police Sub-Inspector, Ahmedabad Cyber Police Range Ms. Karishma Chaudhari said, “Most of the scams happen mainly due to two reasons -first lack of knowledge about our own device and technology and secondly it can be attributed to human greed and desire to make quick money.” She urged the citizens to be safe on social and digital platforms and always think twice before allowing permission to apps to share your data as, most of the frauds happens thorough it.”
Shri Yash Kanani, Cyber Security Expert from Gandhinagar University, shared insights on various types of frauds that are more prevalent in current times, including WhatsApp hacking, digital arrest, e-SIM fraud. “Riding the digital wave is the need of the hour, but one must be careful on the online space and always be cautious while operating on social media or accepting friend’s request from unknown profiles on any platform, it could be the first step to the scam,” Kanani said.
Speaking on the occasion, a spokesperson from BFL, said, “The financial safety of our consumers is paramount to us. We are constantly issuing online and offline advisories, on social media platforms, as well as through on-ground interactions with citizens, encouraging everyone to be cyber safe.”
Experts and dignitaries present at the event included Ms Miral Boricha, Shri Yash Kanani, Cyber Security Expert from Gandhinagar University, Ms Karishma Chaudhari, Assistant Sub-Inspector Gokulgiri Goswami, and Dr. Kamlesh V N, Vice Chancellor Gandhinagar University. Retired IG Gujarat Police, Mr. Rajendra Jotangiya and Retired ACP Anti-Corruption Bureau Mr. N D Chavan also graced the occasion.
Knockout Digital Fraud offers the cyber community valuable safety tips on safeguarding personal and sensitive information. This includes refraining from sharing OTPs, PINs, clicking on suspicious emails, SMSs, links, QR codes and downloading applications from unknown sources. It includes a series of interactive workshops, digital awareness drives, and community outreach programs across major cities and towns.
