THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State police chief Ravada Chandrasekhar on Monday launched the ‘RBI Reelathon 2026’, a statewide awareness campaign organised by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Thiruvananthapuram, targeting college students to combat cyber financial frauds.
Designed as a three-phase initiative, awareness programmes will be held on smart borrowing and safe digital banking in 150 colleges of the state. The second phase will feature a reel-making competition on themes including illegitimate loan applications, mule accounts, digital financial frauds and cyber hygiene.
Addressing the gathering, the DGP highlighted the alarming rise in cyber crimes, stressing that cyber fraud was no longer merely a technological issue but a serious social challenge affecting people across all sections of society. He cautioned against emerging cyber threats such as fraudulent investment schemes, digital arrest scams, illegitimate loan applications, fake job offers and mule account networks.
The DGP said cyber criminals were targeting the youth through social engineering and misuse of digital platforms. Stressing the importance of the ‘Golden Hour’ in cyber crime reporting, he urged victims to report incidents immediately through official channels, noting that it improves the chances of freezing transactions and recovering funds.
Banking ombudsman for Kerala E B Chindan, SBI Kerala circle chief general manager K V Bangarraju, heads of major public sector banks, among others attended the event .
Campaign competitions
Shortlisted entries will compete in a gala finale scheduled later this year, and the top three winners will receive cash prizes of `75,000, `50,000 and Rs 25,000, respectively. The winning reels will be disseminated through the RBI’s official social media platforms and amplified through the social media channels of the Kerala Police.