Mumbai: Only 10 per cent of hacked social media accounts get recovered

In February, Mumbai police received 482 reports of hacking incidents, including those involving social media, along with 201 cases of fake social media profiles. Despite the city police cyber teams' efforts to assist victims in reclaiming control of their accounts, delays persist due to the non-cooperation of social media intermediaries.

Data compiled by mid-day over the past two years indicates a substantial increase in both hacking incidents and the impersonation via fake social media accounts but only a few cases are being solved by the cyber cell since the hackers didn't leave any footprint, making it difficult for the cops to trace them.

Most of the hackers operate from foreign countries, making it difficult to arrest them

"Most of these hackers operate from countries like Turkey, Russia, and China. In very few cases, we find the origin of the hacker within India, and in most cases where hackers were on Indian soil, they have been apprehended," said an officer of the cyber cell.

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Official data shows that out of 482 cases in February, only 52 resulted in arrests of 72 individuals, while out of 201 cases, only 22 were resolved with 29 arrests. Over the past two years, approximately 568 hacking cases were reported, with only 10 per cent being solved, and about 525 fake social media profile cases were reported, with a mere 26 per cent being resolved.

Lack of cooperation from social media intermediaries has made it difficult to track these hackers. Representational pic

"The reported cases, both through police stations and social media platforms, are promptly addressed and registered to ensure thorough attention to each case. For instances involving impersonation or fake social media accounts, requests are promptly sent to the respective platform, resulting in the account's swift suspension within a few hours. However, in cases of hacking, regaining control of the account may take some time. Nevertheless, our priority is to immediately suspend the compromised account to prevent further unauthorised usage," said the officer.

The official data of Mumbai police about hacking didn't specify what exactly was hacked but the sources have said that it includes hacking of social media, email accounts, and as well as hacking of websites. The officials added that from 2022 to February 2024 around 145 accused were arrested for creating fake social media accounts and around 126 people were arrested in cases of hacking.

Hackers have targeted accounts that are either unused or rarely visited by the account holders

"Another problem encountered during investigations is the lack of cooperation from social media intermediaries. Despite receiving details from law enforcement, agencies, they often delay their response and fail to share crucial information. Intermediaries play a vital role in hacked accounts as they possess all the data, including IP addresses, and can immediately block the account. However, their delayed response hampers ongoing probes," added the officer.

The officials have observed a trend among hackers targeting accounts that are either unused or rarely visited by the account holders.

"These hackers often employ deceptive tactics, such as sending emails from fake Facebook and Instagram addresses, warning users of potential account blocks. They may also claim that account information, such as email IDs or contact numbers, has been changed without the user's knowledge, urging recipients to click on provided links. Unfortunately, falling for this results in the loss of the account to the hacker," the officer added.

According to the cyber cell, a concerning trend has emerged where victims of hacking and the creation of fake social media accounts often refrain from reporting the incidents. Instead, they directly approach the platform concerned to regain access to their accounts which is important but they need to report it to the police for a criminal offence.

Upon investigation, it becomes evident that hackers exploit social media platforms using various tactics, including the use of different software and virtual private networking (VPN) to conceal their locations. This makes it challenging to trace their origin. "Despite the complexities involved, every cyber case is prioritised, and efforts are made to pursue it to a logical conclusion," said Datta Nalawade, DCP Cyber (additional charge), he also emphasised the importance of reporting every instance of fraud to facilitate effective investigation and resolution.

mid-day has reached out to Meta to inquire about their policies and information-sharing practices with law enforcement agencies regarding hacked accounts. However, despite our efforts, we have not received any response from the tech giant.

145
No. of people arrested for creating fake social media accounts from 2022 to February 2024

126
No. of individuals arrested in hacking cases from 2022 to February 2024

482
No. of hacking cases reported in February