The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched ABHAY, an AI-based helpbot for authentication of CBI notices that the agency said can help users identify fraudulent notices linked to digital arrest scams.

Digital arrest scams involve fraudsters impersonating law enforcement agencies, falsely accusing victims of criminal activity and coercing them through prolonged video calls, surveillance or threats of arrest.

“Once the victim is deceived into compliance, fraudsters initiate a sham legal process, keeping the victim under surveillance for days under the guise of a ‘digital arrest’ – a concept that has no legal existence in Indian law,” the CBI said in its statement..

According to a PRAHAR (Public Response against Helplessness and Redressal) study citing data from cybersecurity firm Zscaler, India recorded more than 79 million phishing attacks in 2023, ranking it third globally and marking a 15% increase from the previous year.

The report also pointed out that cyberattack incidents rose sharply during the first quarter of 2024, with more than 500 million incidents blocked in three months. The report projected that cyberattacks targeting India could rise to nearly 1 trillion annually by 2033 and 17 trillion by 2047.

“Cyber-enabled fraud has emerged as a serious challenge confronting the country’s criminal justice system. The rapid advancement of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and deep fakes have made it increasingly difficult for ordinary citizens to distinguish between what is real and what is fabricated,” the CBI added.

The agency said users can verify notices through the CBI website by completing OTP verification and uploading a scanned copy, after which ABHAY identifies whether the notice is genuine or potentially fraudulent.

The CBI also warned citizens to stay alert against so-called “digital arrest” scams, saying there is no such legal concept under Indian law.

Also Read: IMF Warns AI Cyberattacks Could Shake Global Financial System