Almost every day now, Goa’s newspapers and online news portals carry yet another grim headline: “Senior Citizen Duped of Lakhs,” “Job Seeker Loses Savings,” “Man Cheated in Online Investment Scam.” The stories have become so frequent that they no longer shock. This normalisation of cyber fraud is perhaps the most alarming aspect of all.
What is happening in Goa? Why, despite repeated warnings by the Goa Police, public advisories by the state government, and nationwide campaigns by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, do we continue to see fresh victims falling prey to the same old tactics?
The reality is both sobering and complicated. Unlike crimes such as burglary or assault, cyber fraud is not something the state government or police can prevent merely through patrols or more boots on the ground. These are faceless crimes committed over a screen, often by perpetrators sitting hundreds or thousands of kilometres away, sometimes outside India altogether.
Technology has, on one hand, democratised access to banking, commerce and information, but on the other, it has also empowered criminals with a reach and sophistication never imagined before. From phishing links sent via SMS to fake customer care numbers found through Google searches, fraudsters have adapted to every new habit of the internet user.
Goa, which has a high literacy rate and a large segment of tech-savvy youth and senior citizens, ironically presents a ripe target. Many Goans rely on online transactions for everything from paying electricity bills to buying groceries.
Unfortunately, familiarity breeds complacency. People assume that because they have been using UPI or net banking for years, they are immune to fraud.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, seasoned users are often the most overconfident, and that overconfidence is precisely what scammers exploit. One of the most common frauds in Goa today is the “KYC update” scam, in which callers posing as bank employees claim your account will be frozen unless you share sensitive information. Another is the “electricity bill disconnection” threat. In a moment of panic, many people surrender OTPs and passwords.
There is no shame in being duped—these criminals are professionals, and their scripts are tested and perfected. But there is absolutely no room for ignorance anymore.
Public awareness campaigns have been relentless. Goa Police routinely issues advisories on social media. Banks send SMS warnings not to share OTPs. Television and radio carry public interest messages. But while institutions are doing their bit, the ultimate responsibility lies with each one of us.
We must, as a society, learn to be suspicious by default when it comes to digital communication. If someone calls claiming to be from a bank or a government department, hang up and call the official helpline yourself. If you receive a payment link, verify it independently before clicking. If a stranger offers you an investment promising huge returns, remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.
Parents must also educate children and senior citizens. Many older Goans are new to smartphones but enthusiastic about using them for payments. They are also the most likely to trust a polite voice on the other end of a call. Family members should regularly discuss common scams and do mock drills—“What will you do if someone calls about your Aadhaar?” This is no different from teaching children not to talk to strangers.
Law enforcement agencies must continue to build cybercrime capabilities. Goa Police’s Cyber Cell needs more trained officers, better forensic tools, and a faster system of freezing fraudulent accounts. But even with better policing, the fact remains: no officer can guard every individual’s phone 24×7.
Ultimately, fighting cyber fraud requires a cultural change. We must accept that the internet is as risky as it is convenient. Vigilance cannot be optional.
So, to every Goan reading this: your bank will never ask for your password. Your electricity department will never threaten disconnection over WhatsApp. And nobody will double your money overnight.
The next time your phone pings, pause. Question. Verify. And only then trust.
If we don’t collectively cultivate this mindset, no government—state or central—will be able to save us from ourselves.
