CM unveils cybercrime awareness films by Vizag police

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday unveiled a series of short films created by the Visakhapatnam police to educate the public about cybercrime, including digital arrest scams and financial fraud.

Officials screened the films during the conference of District Collectors and Superintendents of Police. After watching them, Mr. Naidu appreciated Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi for launching the awareness initiative.

The Visakhapatnam police produced 24 short films. Each film explains the modus operandi of a different cybercrime. It also shows how fraudsters target unsuspecting victims.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bagchi briefed the Chief Minister on the rising scale of cybercrime. He said citizens across the country have lost Rs 30,211 crore to cybercrime, financial fraud, and digital scams.

He further said losses in Andhra Pradesh have increased steadily in recent years. Citizens lost Rs 34 crore in 2021, Rs 117.5 crore in 2022, and Rs 378 crore in 2023.

Moreover, authorities received 66,507 complaints related to cyber and financial crimes across the State in 2024. These cases led to losses of ₹974.12 crore. In 2025, police registered 64,048 complaints, and losses stood at around ₹828 crore, he said.

Turning to Visakhapatnam, Mr. Bagchi said cyber fraud has caused losses of about Rs 304 crore in the city since 2019.

Therefore, the police created the short films to spread public awareness. The films explain common fraud tactics and help citizens avoid scams.

Mr. Naidu commended the Visakhapatnam police for producing informative films to alert the public about cybercrime.Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta, Chief Secretary Sai Prasad, and other senior police officials attended the meeting.