DCP urges SCDCC Bank to link with national cyber crime portal to protect victims from financial losses

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) K. Ravi Shankar, on January 5, urged South Canara District Central Cooperative (SCDCC) Bank to link with the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) to expedite freezing funds siphoned off from cooperative bank accounts and protect victims of cyber crimes from losses.

Speaking at a workshop on cyber crimes for personnel from SCDCC Bank, Primary Agriculture Credit Cooperative Societies and other cooperative societies that deal with lending money, Mr. Shankar noted that as many as 297 nationalised banks and 14 cooperative banks from Karnataka were part of the NCRP.

When a customer reports a case of cyber fraud to the portal by calling 1930, the case is registered, and alerts are sent to the recipient banks. The banks freeze the funds within the golden hour, allowing the victim to recover their money, he said.

SCDCC Bank is still not part of the portal, he said. “I want the governing body of the Bank to move for inclusion in the NCRP,” he added. He noted that cyber criminals, who were mostly Class 10 passouts, were increasingly targeting customers from cooperative banks and societies.

In Mangaluru, increased awareness of cyber crimes among the public and banking personnel led to fewer victims in 2025, he said.

In 2024, there were 137 cases of cyber crimes registered and an estimated loss of ₹41 crore. In 2025, there were 123 cases registered and an estimated loss of ₹36 crore. Recently, two bank managers alerted the police about victims of cyber crimes, helping prevent further losses, he added.

Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies H.N. Ramesh said, following a report by the police, directions were issued to cooperative banks and societies to install CCTVs, alarm devices and appoint security personnel. In addition, cooperative banks must employ armed security personnel in vehicles transporting cash to ATMs. Cooperative societies with excess jewellery should store it in the nearest nationalised banks’ safe lockers, Mr. Ramesh said.