Outsmarting the Scammers

Every few seconds, a cybercriminal somewhere in India exploits fear, greed or trust. A cloned voice, a fake investment app or a digital arrest is all it takes. These crimes no longer begin with a weapon. They begin with a phone call, a message or a notification. For Shikha Goel, Principal Secretary, Home Department, Government of Telangana, and Director of the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB), this is policing’s newest frontier.

A 1994-batch IPS officer, she has spent more than three decades in roles spanning the CID, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Women Safety Wing, SHE Teams and now cyber security. Across those assignments, one idea has remained constant: the best policing prevents crime before it happens. “Cybercrime has fundamentally changed policing. Criminals exploit technology, speed and human behaviour, so policing can no longer be reactive. Our focus is not just on investigating crime, but on preventing it, protecting victims and bringing offenders to justice. The future lies in using technology and artificial intelligence responsibly to predict threats, prevent crime and protect citizens before they become victims,” says Shikha, recipient of the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service (2021).

Crime has changed. Policing must too

The 1994-batch IPS officer believes cybercrime cannot be fought by the police alone. Banks, technology firms, telecom operators and citizens must work in tandem. It is an approach she has championed throughout her career, and one that is paying off. While cybercrime complaints across India rose 24 per cent in 2025, Telangana recorded a 3 per cent decline, with financial losses down 20 per cent. In the first half of 2026, cybercrime fell another 11 per cent and losses dropped 27 per cent. “The difference lies in our approach. Technology, public awareness, quick reporting, timely refunds and strong partnerships have made citizens our first line of defence. When people report early, cybercriminals lose their biggest advantage.”

Shikha also challenges the perception that Telangana has the highest cybercrime. “States like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka report significantly higher numbers. Higher reporting reflects public trust in the system, not a higher incidence of crime.”

Putting victims first

Every cybercrime complaint is converted into an FIR, enabling faster investigations and quicker refunds. “In cybercrime, every minute counts. Those few minutes can determine whether victims recover their money or lose it permanently,” says Shikha, who has consistently championed public awareness as the first line of defence.Her advice is simple: stop all financial transactions, disconnect the call and report the fraud immediately.

Cyber model India is watching

Recognition from Union Home Minister Amit Shah for Telangana’s Crime Analysis Module has put the state's AI-led cyber policing model in the national spotlight. At its core is CyCAPS, an in-house platform that links cases, analyses digital evidence and identifies crime patterns.

“The future of cyber policing lies in integrating artificial intelligence with human judgement. Technology helps us predict threats, but policing remains about protecting people.”

The focus is also shifting towards dismantling organised financial networks. In one statewide operation, officials inspected 137 bank branches linked to mule accounts, resulting in 561 FIRs and 312 arrests. “Our strategy is to follow the money, not just the fraud. By targeting mule account holders, recruiters and organised networks, we are disrupting cybercrime at its source.”

The human firewall

Despite AI’s growing role, the director of the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau believes people remain the strongest defence against cybercrime. “The biggest myth is that ‘it won’t happen to me’. Cybercriminals exploit fear, urgency and greed far more than technology. No AI can protect someone who shares an OTP or transfers money without verifying. Awareness remains our strongest defence.”

That belief has fuelled one of the country’s largest cyber awareness drives. In 2025 alone, TGCSB conducted over 33,000 programmes, helping reduce digital arrest complaints by 30 per cent, financial losses by 46 per cent and investment fraud losses by 27 per cent. Contrary to popular belief, the biggest victims are not senior citizens but those aged 26 to 35."Technology will continue to transform policing, but defeating cybercrime requires citizens to pause, think, verify and report quickly. Cyber safety is a shared responsibility."For Goel, the strongest firewall will always be an informed citizen.

T’GANA’S CYBER PUSH

(2025)

· Cybercrime in India: +24%

· Cybercrime in Telangana: -3%

· Financial losses in Telangana: -20%

January-June 2026

· Cybercrime: -11%

· Financial losses: -27%

Victim Support

· Rs 436 crore+ refunded

· 55,000+ victims compensated

· 4,408+ cybercriminals arrested

AI in Action

· 1930 helpline response time: 7 min to 2 min

· 27,900+ refund orders issued

· 18,663+ unlawful URLs removed