Pune police officer urges cyber fraud victims to report within the first hour

Pune, October 30, 2026: Many digital and financial frauds can be avoided if people take care while using online platforms and report suspicious transactions immediately, a Pune Police officer said at a cyber safety awareness programme. The programme was organised by Bajaj Finance Limited (BFL) at Yashwantrao Chavan Law College in Parvati, Pune.

Titled "Knockout Digital Fraud", the programme is part of a Bajaj Finance campaign to spread awareness about financial and cyber safety. Bajaj Finance Limited is part of Bajaj Finserv and is counted among the country's largest private-sector non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).

The programme discussed common cyber threats. These included phishing, fake trading apps, malicious APK files, job and visa scams, part-time job frauds, OTP scams, fake loan offers, investment fraud, digital arrest scams and fake links circulating on social media and messaging platforms. Experts stressed the importance of keeping personal and banking information safe and urged caution while making online transactions.

Prasad Poddar, a cyber police officer at the Parvati cyber cell in Pune, appealed to people to follow the principle of "Think Before You Click". He said unknown links, calls and messages should be checked before responding to them.

Poddar said, "Cyber fraud is a growing social problem and people who use digital platforms should be careful. Fraudsters can take advantage of personal information shared carelessly. The 'golden hour' is very important. If victims report the fraud by calling 1930 within the first hour, there is a 90 per cent chance of getting the lost money back. Remember, the first 60 minutes are very important."

A spokesperson for Bajaj Finance said protecting customers from financial fraud remains a priority for the company. The spokesperson said, "Through regular advisories on digital platforms and social media channels and community outreach programmes, we seek to raise awareness about cyber threats and enable citizens to stay alert and cyber-safe."

Bajaj Finance Limited held more than 100 workshops in different parts of the country in the last financial year. The initiative is in line with the Reserve Bank of India's fraud risk management guidelines for NBFCs and aims to strengthen public awareness of digital safety.

The programme also covered frauds involving fake social media accounts, WhatsApp groups and fake websites that impersonate financial institutions and their employees to cheat customers.

Those present included Nitin Chalwadi, principal of Yashwantrao Chavan Law College, retired ACP Sargerao Babar, Yuvraj More of Bajaj Finance Limited, teachers and students.

Citizens have been advised not to share OTPs, passwords or banking details with anyone. If they suspect cyber fraud, they should immediately call the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or file a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Reporting in time allows officials to begin action to freeze fraudulent transactions and improves the chances of recovering lost money.