Digital services have made daily life easier, but they have also created new opportunities for fraud. Online payments, mobile banking, social media and internet-based services are now used in villages as well as cities. Alongside this, cybercriminals keep changing their methods, using fake investment schemes, digital arrest threats, phishing links and misuse of personal information. In such a situation, prevention through public awareness is as important as action against offenders.
Chhattisgarh Police’s seven-week cyber awareness campaign, run from 15 August to 2 October 2026, reflects this approach. Through 34 police units, the campaign organised more than five lakh awareness programmes and reached over 1.70 crore citizens directly. More than 5.5 lakh awareness selfies were also recorded, showing public participation in the effort.
The campaign did not remain limited to cities or educational institutions. Police teams reached gram panchayats, village meetings, weekly markets, religious events and public places. Students, women, rural residents, young people and senior citizens were informed about new methods of cyber fraud. They were advised not to share OTPs, passwords or UPI PINs, and to remain cautious of suspicious links, fake calls and those claiming to conduct a “digital arrest.”
Local innovations helped take the message deeper into communities. In Mungeli, information was shared with about 15,000 villagers through panchayats and special village meetings. In Gariaband, 493 women associated with Mitanins, anganwadi workers and self-help groups were trained to spread the message within families. In Durg, students used street plays to reach more than 15,000 people. Radio programmes, short films, cyber awareness raths and messages on electricity bills further extended the campaign’s reach.
Digital platforms also played an important role. With support from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, more than 3,100 social media posts were shared, receiving over 6.02 crore views. A short-film competition received 162 entries from 35 districts across 11 states. Such creative methods can make cyber safety messages simpler and more relatable, especially for young people.
Awareness alone cannot stop cybercrime. Action against the networks that enable fraud is equally necessary. Chhattisgarh Police has also acted against mule bank accounts, bank staff involved in opening such accounts and those supplying fake SIM cards. Citizens have been encouraged to report cyber fraud immediately through the national helpline number 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, as early reporting can improve the chances of stopping or recovering funds.
The most important lesson of the campaign is that cyber security is a shared responsibility. Police action, digital vigilance and community awareness must work together. If citizens remain careful with digital transactions, recognise suspicious activity and report fraud without delay, cybercriminals will find it harder to succeed. The end of a seven-week campaign should therefore be treated as the beginning of a continuing public effort to make the digital space safer for everyone.
