Eliminate mule accounts and ghost SIMs to curb cybercrime, says Hyderabad senior police officer Sajjanar

Hyderabad City Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar releases handbook on digital fraud prevention and awareness in Hyderabad.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar on Friday called for coordinated action by banks, telecom operators, regulators and law enforcement agencies to eliminate mule bank accounts and fake SIM cards, terming them as the lifeline of cybercrime networks.

He spoke at a round table meeting on the subject. “People in Hyderabad alone were losing close to ₹ 1 crore every day to cyber fraud. Cybercriminals were operating across jurisdictions using technology, social engineering and sophisticated fraud techniques,” he said.

“The quicker the victim reports the fraud, the better the chance of freezing and recovering the money,” he said.

The event brought together more than 200 attendees, including police officers, bankers, cyber security experts, telecommunications experts, legal experts, politicians and industry representatives.

Mr. Sajjanar also emphasized the importance of public awareness, saying that prevention through awareness is more effective than trying to recover money after a fraud has occurred. He said every stakeholder, including banks, telecom companies, technology firms, educational institutions, industry bodies and citizens, has a role to play in building a secure digital ecosystem.

On the occasion, the organizers released a Citizen’s Guide to Digital Fraud Awareness and Prevention to help people identify, prevent and respond to online fraud.

During panel discussions, experts explored new trends in cyber fraud, bank fraud, telecom fraud, artificial intelligence fraud, deepfakes, legal remedies and regulatory reform. Participants also held thematic discussions on banking, telecommunications, digital identity, human behaviour, artificial intelligence and legislative changes, before presenting recommendations to improve digital resilience and strengthen coordination between stakeholders.

Published – 10 Jul 2026 20:22 IST