a cyber security awareness drive inBaripada, Odisha
The awareness drive inBaripadais part of Bajaj Finance’s 100-city cyber security programme to inform citizens about different types of cyber threats, and ways to safeguard one’s finances against fraudsters
Baripada, Odisha, January 23, 2026: Bajaj Finance Ltd. (BFL), India’s largest private-sector Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) and part of Bajaj Finserv, organised a cyber fraud awareness programme in Baripada — Knockout Digital Fraud — to inform digital users about different types of threats and best practices to safeguard their finances.
The event at Baripada College at Baripada 2 was graced by the presence of distinguished dignitaries. Among them were Shri Deepak Kumar Gochhayat,Addl SP Mayurbhanj;Shri Ajaya Kumar Jena, DSP in charge,Bhanjpur;Shri Bhakta Batsala Behera, Cyber Expert, Cyber and Economic offence, Baripada; ProfSanjaya Khuntia, Dept ofPhysics, Baripada College and Dr.Subrat Patra, Administrative Bursar, Baripada College.The programme also witnessed the participation of Shri Swapna Ranjan Mohapatra, Retd Addl SP, Puriand Shri Santosh Kumar Nayak, Retd SP, Dhenkanal along with other esteemed faculty members of the college.
The Knockout Digital Fraud programmealigns with the Reserve Bank of India’s 2024 guidelines on Fraud Risk management for NBFCs, which emphasises early detection, staff accountability, and public engagement to make the digital ecosystemsafer for everyone.
The programme is focused on drawing citizens’ attention to common financial frauds committed by scammers including fake social media accounts, WhatsApp groups and websites that mimic financial companies, falsely claiming affiliation and impersonating their employees.
At the Fraud Awareness Programme hosted by Bajaj Finance Limited in Baripada, Shri Bhakta Batsala Behera, Cyber Expert, Cyber and Economic offence, Baripada, delivered a strong warning against rising cyber frauds. He emphasized that fraudsters often target individuals with low digital awareness—including affluent, socially established, and even educated people—by using deceptive tactics such as fake promises of wealth or threats like the so-called “Digital Arrest,” which holds no legal validity.
“These criminals may impersonate law enforcement officers or other officials, claiming that illegal substances were found in your parcel or that your ATM card has been blocked,” the officer explained. “Their goal is to trick you into revealing sensitive financial details or clicking malicious links.”
Shri Deepak Kumar Gochhayat,Addl SP Mayurbhanj urged the public to stay vigilant, resist the temptations of greed, report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station, and never share OTPs or personal information with unknown or unauthorized sources online. “Stay alert, stay safe,” they concluded.
Speaking on the occasion, a spokesperson from BFL, said,“The financial safety of our consumers is paramount to us. We are constantly issuing online and offline advisories, on social media platforms, as well as through on-ground interactions with citizens, encouraging everyone to be cyber safe.”
Knockout Digital Fraudoffers the cyber community valuable safety tips on safeguarding personal and sensitive information. This includes refraining from sharing OTPs, PINs, clicking on suspicious emails, SMSs, links, QR codes and downloading applications from unknown sources. It includes a series of interactive workshops, digital awareness drives, and community outreach programs across major cities and towns.
