I4C and Amazon Collaborate on ScamSmartIndia Initiative to Combat Online Frauds During Festive Season

A nationwide initiative called ScamSmartIndia has been launched by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) and Amazon India. This campaign aims to safeguard consumers from online scams, especially during the festive season. The initiative will focus on enhancing scam awareness and promoting safe online shopping practices.

The collaboration between I4C and Amazon involves several measures to educate consumers. These include social media content that simplifies complex fraud scenarios into easy safety tips, digital ads with safety advisories, and educational flyers in Amazon packages. A national hackathon will also be held to develop AI-powered solutions for scam detection and prevention.

Focus on Consumer Awareness

Nishant Kumar, Director of I4C, highlighted the importance of this initiative. He noted that the festive season sees increased shopping activity, which fraudsters exploit to target consumers, especially vulnerable groups like first-time internet users and senior citizens. Kumar emphasized that this partnership with Amazon aims to raise awareness about fraud detection and prevention.

Rakesh Bakshi, Vice President Legal at Amazon India, acknowledged the misuse of well-known brands by online fraudsters. He pointed out that such activities not only harm businesses but also erode consumer trust in the digital economy. Bakshi stated that through this partnership, they aim to create practical solutions for identifying, avoiding, and reporting fraud.

Impact of Online Fraud

The joint effort is timely given the findings of McAfee's Global Festive Shopping Survey-2024. The survey revealed that over half of India's fraud cases occur online, with risks increasing during festive periods. This underscores the need for heightened vigilance and proactive measures to protect consumers.

Data from I4C indicates that Indians lost approximately Rs 7,000 crore to online scams in the first five months of 2025. A significant portion of this money was siphoned off by scammers operating from high-security locations in Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries.

This initiative aims to empower consumers with knowledge and tools to navigate the digital marketplace safely. By fostering awareness and providing practical solutions, ScamSmartIndia seeks to reduce the incidence of online scams and enhance consumer confidence during the festive season.

With inputs from PTI