Latest news with #InternationalMobileEquipmentIdentity
Scroll.in
13 hours ago
- Scroll.in
Indians lost Rs 22,845 crore to cyber fraud in 2024, a 206% rise from previous year: Centre
Indians lost Rs 22,845.7 crore due to cyber fraud in 2024, the Union government told Parliament on Tuesday. This was nearly 206% higher than the Rs 7,465.1 crore loss reported in 2023. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar said that more than 22.6 lakh cybercrime incidents were registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal in 2024. The number of such crimes increased by 42% as compared to 2023, when nearly 16 lakh incidents were reported. In 2022, around 10.3 lakh incidents of cybercrime were registered on the portal, said Kumar. Listing the steps taken by the government to tackle cyber crimes, the minister said that the Centre has so far blocked more than 9.4 lakh SIM cards and over 2.6 lakh International Mobile Equipment Identity numbers, or IMEIs, based on police reports. Kumar added that the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre, or I4C, launched a suspect registry of identifiers of cyber criminals in September, in collaboration with banks. The I4C monitors cyber crimes at the national level. 'So far, more than 11 lakh suspect identifier data received from banks and 24 lakh Layer 1 mule accounts have been shared with the participating entities of Suspect Registry and saved more than Rs 4,631 crores,' the minister told Lok Sabha. A 'layer 1 mule account' is created either by using stolen personal details – individuals' Aadhaar and PAN card details – or by luring people with money into lending or renting their bank accounts for the operation. In October, the Union home ministry said that investigation agencies in India were identifying 4,000 mule accounts every day that are used to receive and transfer funds illegally on behalf of others. The ministry said in March that Indians had lost Rs 2,576 crore to 'digital arrest scams and related cybercrimes' between 2022 and February 2025. In cases of 'digital arrest', criminals usually orchestrate the fraud by posing as law enforcement officers, often wearing uniforms and making video calls to victims from locations made to resemble government offices or police stations. They demand money for a 'compromise' and 'closure of a case' against the victims. In some cases, the victims are 'digitally arrested' with the scamsters claiming that the persons are required to be visible until their demands are met. The I4C had previously found that 46% of the cyber frauds reported between January 2024 and April 2024 originated in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. In January, Scroll published a series of extensive reports about Chinese crime syndicates that run cyber crime centres from Southeast Asia, mainly Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos. These highly sophisticated 'scam compounds' are staffed with thousands of people, many of them from India, who are lured with fake job offers and then forced to work on scamming people back home. However, those who make scam calls from such centres are victims themselves, having been lured into going abroad through fake job offers, Scroll found. When they tried to leave, they were 'beaten mercilessly'. India's Ministry of External Affairs has warned citizens against fake job offers in Cambodia and Laos, and urged them to seek employment only through authorised agents approved by the government.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Time of India
100+ phones lost in Noida autos & buses find their way home
Noida: About 100 smartphones that were reported lost were traced and returned to their owners by the Noida Police (Central) surveillance cell and Phase 2 Police. The operation was conducted over one year, and the team was awarded Rs 25,000 for their efforts. Noida (central) DCP Shakti Mohan Awasthy said police commissioner Laxmi Singh had instructed the zone's police to find phones that were reported lost or stolen over the last year. You Can Also Check: Noida AQI | Weather in Noida | Bank Holidays in Noida | Public Holidays in Noida Under the supervision of DCP Awasthy and additional DCP Hridesh Kathariya, a team was formed to trace the lost phones through International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number tracking and surveillance. IMEI is a unique serial number that identifies a mobile phone or any other cellular device. Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal, a govt platform operated by the department of telecommunication, monitors stolen mobile phones using their IMEI numbers. In May, TOI reported that more than 50 lakh mobile phone details have been registered nationwide on the CEIR portal since May 16, 2023. Of these, 31 lakh devices have been blocked and 19 lakh located. The actual recovery of mobile phones, however, lags at just 4.22 lakh across the country. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dukung Orang Terkasih Menghadapi Limfoma: Mulai Di Sini Limfoma Baca Undo In Uttar Pradesh, according to the portal, a total of 1.7 lakh devices were blocked and 1.1 lakh handsets were traced. Police have so far successfully retrieved 27,537 devices. In Delhi, 7.7 lakh phones were blocked and 4.6 lakh mobile phones were located. Police have so far recovered 8,951. However, in this case, the majority of these phones weren't stolen, but misplaced. DCP Awasthy said some had reportedly fallen off their owners' pockets in crowded areas, some got left behind in autos, e-rickshaws, taxis, buses and metros, while a few fell off motorcycles. Some daily wage labourers had lost their phones at worksites.
News18
08-07-2025
- News18
Kolkata Lawyer Gifted Wife Rs 49,000 Phone, Gujarat Cops Came Knocking Moment She Turned It On
A Kolkata lawyer's anniversary gift turned into a nightmare when Gujarat Police linked the smartphone he bought to a cybercrime case, sparking a cross-state investigation What was meant to be a thoughtful anniversary gift turned into a nightmare for a lawyer from Kolkata after Gujarat Police knocked on his door, claiming the smartphone he had recently gifted his wife was linked to a major cybercrime case. The startling turn of events has now triggered a cross-state investigation into what could potentially be a racket involving the resale of criminally tainted devices as new. The incident unfolded in the Salt Lake area earlier this year, when the lawyer purchased a premium smartphone worth Rs 49,000 from a shop located in Kolkata's Mission Row Extension. The device was sealed, came with a GST invoice, and appeared brand new in every respect. Believing it to be a perfect present, he gifted it to his wife on their wedding anniversary in February. However, weeks later, officers from Rajkot Police in Gujarat arrived at the couple's residence, saying that the very phone his wife was using had been flagged in an ongoing cybercrime probe. The police had traced the phone's International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number and confirmed that it matched a device used in an online fraud. Stunned by the accusation, the couple insisted they had purchased the phone legally and had no connection to any criminal activity. Realising the severity of the matter, the lawyer promptly approached Hare Street Police Station in Kolkata and lodged a formal complaint against the mobile phone store. The case was then transferred to Bowbazar Police Station, under whose jurisdiction the shop falls. Officers there have begun questioning both the shopkeeper and the distributor who supplied the device. While initial scrutiny of the shop's documentation did not reveal any irregularities, police sources say the focus has now shifted to the distributor. The mobile phone has since been seized and sent for forensic analysis to determine its ownership history and whether it had previously been tampered with, reused, or repackaged. Investigators are also probing whether this was a one-off incident or part of a larger scam involving the resale of used or compromised mobile phones as new. This could be the tip of the iceberg, a senior police officer familiar with the case said, adding that if there was an organised racket behind this, it posed a serious threat to unsuspecting buyers. People believe they are buying new, sealed phones but they could be walking into a legal trap, the officer said. First Published: July 08, 2025, 13:50 IST
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- The Hindu
Cyber cell recovers 33 lost mobile phones in Kannur
The Kannur City Cyber Cell has successfully recovered and returned 33 lost and stolen mobile phones to their rightful owners, tracing them to various parts of Kerala and States including Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradersh, Delhi and Karnataka. Kannur District Police Chief P. Nidhinraj handed over the recovered phones to the owners and explained the role of the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal in tracking and blocking lost devices. Mr. Nidhinraj said that people lose their mobile phones in various ways. Many people have the habit of saving the password and other important details in the phone. Such phones can be misused and to prevent it, people should register the lose of their phone and upload the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) in the CEIR portals started by the Department of Telecom.. He said the phones lost between 2023 and 2025 has been recovered and handed over to the owner. The phones were traced and retrieved by a team led by Cyber Cell ASI M. Sreejith and CPO Dijin Raj P.K with some returned directly to owners and others via local police stations or courier services. According to officials, the Cyber Cell has recovered nearly 300 phones in the past six months, highlighting the effectiveness of digital trancking systems. Auhtorities urged the public to follow proper procedures when a phone is lost; obtain a duplicate SIM, lodge a complaint at the nearest police station and block the phone through CEIR portal ( using the IMEI number. If the phone is later used, it can be traced and recovered. Those purchasing second hand phones are advised to check the device's authenticity via the 'Know Genuineness of Your Mobile Handset' feature on the Sancharasaa portal ( using the IMEI number.
Time Business News
19-06-2025
- Time Business News
Is Your IMEI Number Linked to Your Personal Data? Let's Bust the Myths!
Online privacy is a hot topic, with many people worried about what their smartphone might be secretly revealing about them. One of the lesser-known but often misunderstood elements is the IMEI number. Could this mysterious 15-digit code reveal your personal information? Could your carrier or even hackers use it to track you? Here we sort fact from fiction and explore what your IMEI really says about you and your phone. What is an IMEI Number? IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. It's a unique number assigned to each cell phone that's connected to a cellular network. Think of it as your phone's digital fingerprint- it helps carriers, police, and manufacturers identify the specific device. It's not linked with the SIM card, but with the hardware itself. The IMEI is typically 15 digits and contains: device model information, the serial number, and a specific check digit. IMEI and Personal Data – What's Actually Recorded? This is the million-dollar question: Does the IMEI number contain your personal data? Short answer: Not exactly. Your IMEI does not store: your name or surname, your number, your contact information, your location, or your message, photo, or file contents. The IMEI on its own is only a device identifier. It does not store any personal details at all. Curious what your IMEI number can reveal about your device? Run a quick IMEI Check and see what shows up. So How Does It Get Linked to an Individual? Even though the IMEI does not store personal details, it can become linked to it, most of the time under two circumstances: 1. Mobile Carriers When you buy a phone from your carrier or have a postpaid plan, your IMEI is tracked with your SIM card. Your carrier knows, for example, that SIM 123456789 is running on the device IMEI: 3589410xxxxxxxx. If you had a contract, your name, address, and other information are tied to that SIM, and secondarily, you are tied to the IMEI. That helps the carrier: to track what device you're operating on block your phone if stolen, or provide information to the police when they are inquiring. 2. Law Enforcement & Security Services The police are able to use the IMEI to track or monitor, but only with appropriate lawful authority, e.g., a court order or under special law. This is because the devices leave digital breadcrumbs when they connect to cellular towers. However, being aware of your IMEI isn't enough, tracking requires access to the carrier infrastructure and legal mechanisms. Can Apps Steal My IMEI Number? This is one thing that typically raises eyebrows. In previous Androids, apps had the ability to access IMEI without having to ask for permission. Fortunately, things have changed now. Today: Access to IMEI is restricted in Android 10 and above. Apps can only read the IMEI with your permission and if they have certain system-level privileges. and if they have certain On iOS, access to the IMEI is also extremely limited. external apps practically can't see it. So, if you're running a modern OS and only download apps from trusted sources, the risk of IMEI leakage is minimal. Can Someone Track Me Using My IMEI? Technically: Yes. Practically: Not without legal authority and tools. Tracking a device using its IMEI is possible but: it requires cooperation from your carrier, should be legally justified (e.g. life-threatening emergencies or theft), (e.g. life-threatening emergencies or theft), and not available to ordinary users or businesses. So no, no one can simply Google your IMEI and track you down. Let's set the record straight here. When Should You Be Careful? Although your IMEI is not personal data, it's still not wise to publish it. Avoid the following: posting images of your phone box on the internet with the IMEI in view, adding the IMEI to public sale notices sharing the number with strangers. Why? Because someone might: try to unlock your phone illegally act as you, or report the phone stolen, providing potentially getting it blacklisted and giving you massive headaches. Final Thoughts The IMEI number isn't a spy gadget, it's a technological identifier to prevent theft, check for counterfeits, and aid in servicing your gadget. By itself, it's not personal data. But it can be traced to you by cellular carriers or law enforcement should treat IMEI number like your license plate: not something you shouldn't tell anybody, but not something you should plaster all over the internet either. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
