The Supreme Court recently stated that the government must compensate and protect vulnerable people who have lost their hard-earned money in cyber scams.
The court said the government must rope in agencies to educate people about how cyber criminals conduct themselves. The latter mostly target the elderly, who should be made aware of their modus operandi.
While the government has the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ app, where people can report any cybercrime, stolen mobile phones or stolen identity, one is quite certain that a large section of senior citizens have no clue about how to download it.
We do know that there have been certain measures to raise awareness about cybercrimes. We have certain ads between TV programmes cautioning people not to click on fake links or highlighting fakes designed to strike fear, like digital arrests.
Yet, we must see an uptick in awareness. Maybe, relevant agencies like the cyber police can rope in speakers at Nana-Nani Parks or any gardens to raise public awareness. The modus operandi of these cyber scamsters must be exposed so that people know what exactly they are dealing with.
Even within families, this step comes first; younger persons must caution/warn/educate the elders. Often, we see that the youngsters, though they mean well, have no time to talk to the elders in the family as they are caught up with their work or other duties. Speakers at old age/retirement homes, hoardings, and radio warnings will all be effective. A multi-pronged awareness blitz, which is consistent and reinforces the message,
is needed.