Mumbai, Aug 30 (TOI): Maharashtra has witnessed a sharp increase in online frauds, according to information compiled by the ministry of home affairs. Most online fraud cases were registered in Maharashtra, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in the last three years. Out of the 1,593 cases registered, 999 were in Maharashtra, 310 in UP and 100 in Rajasthan.

Lok Sabha member D M Patel had sought information on details of Internet users who have become victims of fraud, steps taken by the government to safeguard people from such frauds, number of online fraud cases registered, the money involved and measures taken by law-enforcement agencies.

Minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir expressed inability to provide data on the amount involved but he said efforts were on with Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) assistance, in coordination with Reserve Bank of India, to track these cases.

As per information tabled in the Lok Sabha on July 26, while no charge-sheet was filed in cases registered in 2013 and 2014, charge-sheets were filed in 92 out of 708 registered last year, and there was a conviction in one case.

A senior IPS officer said in view of strengthening of the cyber network, more emphasis will be laid on securing conviction in most cases. "In view of the awareness among people, aggrieved persons have knocked at the doors of law-enforcement agencies, as a result of which most online fraud cases are registered,'' he said.