NEW DELHI: "Cybercrime has no geographical boundaries, it thrives on online anonymity where a scammer can claim to be operating locally from Patparganj while actually being based abroad," said special commissioner of police Devesh Chandra Srivastava during his address at the TOI Townhall on ‘Don't Get Scammed'.This striking reality served as a wake-up call as the officer highlighted how fraudsters exploit the lack of physical borders to target victims. He emphasised that modern criminals relied on a victim's inability to see who was truly on the other side of the screen, making personal awareness the most critical tool for digital safety.

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The special CP's address at the event, organised by TOI, mentioned three key points to keep in mind: greed, fear and caution. Srivastava pointed out a startling paradox in the world of cyber fraud: even highly educated people, including tech-savvy IIT gradu-ates and MBAs, frequently fell victim to scams run by barely educated criminals, all in a bid to earn easy money. This happens because scammers do not target a person's technical degrees, but rather their psychological triggers. This trend, he said, has everything to do with "social engineering".

Whether it is through the lure of unrealistic 200% profits on online groups or "catfishing" seen in romance and matrimonial scams, the goal is to trigger an impulsive reaction. He cited examples where scammers use fake photos to pose as someone from Seelampur while actually operating from cyber hubs like Jamtara or Mewat.In casinos, a player is triggered by a promise of winning the first few short games and gaining instant gratification, he said.

Similarly, "in investment scams, first few instalments and returns have been enough to manipulate victims into giving larger sums later", he pointed out. "Cybercriminals have mastered the art of preying on vulnerabilities that they notice in people in the physical world and then apply it in the virtual world.

" On the impact of online investment frauds, Srivastava spoke about the former Punjab Police IG who had tried to kill himself after being cheated of Rs 8.1 crore.

He also urged people to be alert if an online acquaintance demands money for "medical emergencies" or personal expenses over social media. An urgent need can be addressed via a telephone call or in person, the officer pointed out.There is no such thing as a ‘digital arrest', it's entirely fake, Srivastava emphasised. Authorities like CBI, ED and police will issue summons and, if needed, will be physically present to arrest anyone, he added.Scammers use fear to manipulate victims into staying on video calls, claiming they are involved in matters of "national security". This manipulation is so powerful that victims have been known to shoo away even family members to comply with the scammer's threats, the officer said. A person may act distant due to the stress of having been "digitally arrested". People should be vigilant about such shifts in the behaviours of people close to them, he suggested, adding that every call can be disconnected and every mail can be checked later.