Key Details
Safe Click 2.0 combines citizen awareness, institutional response and digital reporting mechanisms to reduce cyber fraud across Madhya Pradesh.
Campaign Feature | Details |
|---|---|
Duration | 24 June – 8 July 2026 |
Coverage | 10 divisions, 55 districts and over 50,000 villages |
Primary Message | Awareness, vigilance and public participation are the first line of defence against cybercrime |
Major Threats Covered | Digital arrest scams, OTP fraud, deepfakes, fake investment schemes, phishing links, ransomware, fake profiles and online shopping fraud |
Immediate Reporting | National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal |
Additional Measures | e-Zero FIR for cyber fraud cases up to ₹1 lakh and statewide awareness campaigns through schools, Panchayats, banks and public institutions |
Summary
Cybersecurity Is Becoming a Public Awareness Challenge
Safe Click 2.0 reflects a growing recognition that protecting citizens from cybercrime requires more than stronger policing. As digital payments, online banking and e-governance services become part of daily life, public awareness, safe online behaviour and rapid reporting are increasingly becoming central components of cybersecurity policy.
The Campaign Targets Everyday Digital Risks
Rather than focusing only on technical cyber threats, the campaign addresses the scams that citizens are most likely to encounter, including:
Digital arrest scams using fake police or government officials.
OTP and banking fraud.
Deepfakes and fake social-media profiles.
Phishing links and online shopping fraud.
Fake investment schemes and ransomware attacks.
The emphasis is on helping citizens recognise warning signs before financial losses occur.
Awareness Is Being Taken to the Grassroots
The campaign extends beyond police departments to schools, Panchayats, banks, markets, religious institutions and government offices. Awareness materials, Cyber Awareness Rath vehicles, school booklets and public outreach programmes aim to reach both urban and rural communities across the State.
This approach recognises that cybersecurity depends as much on behavioural awareness as on technological safeguards.
Reporting and Response Systems Are Being Strengthened
Alongside awareness activities, Madhya Pradesh is encouraging quicker reporting through the 1930 Cyber Crime Helpline and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
The State has also introduced e-Zero FIR for cyber fraud cases involving losses of up to ₹1 lakh, enabling victims to begin legal proceedings more quickly. According to the Government, cybercrime enforcement efforts during 2025 resulted in the freezing of around ₹135 crore linked to fraudulent transactions and action against mule-account and cyber-slavery networks.
Cybersecurity Supports Digital Governance
With nearly 1,700 public services available digitally across 56 government departments, the campaign highlights the close relationship between digital trust and public service delivery. The initiative seeks to strengthen confidence in digital platforms by combining awareness, enforcement, grievance reporting and institutional preparedness.
What is a Digital Arrest Scam?
A digital arrest scam is a form of cyber fraud in which criminals impersonate police, investigative agencies or government officials and falsely claim that a person is involved in a criminal investigation. Victims are pressured through threatening phone or video calls, fake documents or fabricated legal notices into transferring money or sharing sensitive financial information.
Policy Relevance
Demonstrates how cybersecurity policy is shifting towards prevention, using public awareness alongside policing and enforcement to reduce cybercrime.
Highlights the importance of institutionalising cyber literacy through schools, Panchayats, financial institutions and community organisations rather than relying on periodic campaigns.
Strengthens digital-governance initiatives by recognising that public confidence in online government services depends on effective cyber protection and fraud response.
Reinforces the need for faster victim support mechanisms, including integrated reporting platforms, prompt complaint registration and rapid freezing of fraudulent transactions.
Provides a model that other States could adapt by combining behavioural awareness, grassroots outreach, cybercrime reporting and law-enforcement coordination within a single statewide programme.
Relevant Question for Stakeholders: How can States integrate cyber-awareness programmes with schools, digital public services, banking networks and local governments so that cyber safety becomes a continuous public service rather than a periodic awareness campaign?
Follow the Full News Here: Cybersecurity must become People’s Movement—Every Citizen must be digitally aware: CM Dr. Yadav