In a major incident of cyber fraud, the customs department in Tughlakabad, Delhi, lost around Rs 50 crore after hackers targeted their IT systems and manipulated data. 

According to a report by The Times of India, crooks hacked into the electronic data interface systems and enhanced the values of customs-registered scripts, licences and authorisations issued by Directorate General of Foreign Trade. They also created bogus licenses into the system.

b’A representational image | Source: Reuters’

The department has filed a police complaint and Delhi Police’ Cyber is now investigating the case. Police officials are probing the role of at least half a dozen firms which encashed the benefits that were enhanced through the fake receipts. The officials are also suspecting the role of an insider.

According to a recently released data by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), there was a 40 percent increase in the number of cyber crime cases in 2015. The data revealed that in 2014, a total of 55 cases related to cyber crime were registered while in 2015, the number went up to 77.

(Feature image source: AFP)