Nepal sets up round-the-clock centre to combat online financial scams
Summary
Nepal is launching a round-the-clock cyber response centre to quickly freeze funds and disrupt online financial scams linked to banks, wallets, payment platforms and social media. The centre will bring together police, the central bank, telecom firms and payment providers under a strict rapid-response system.
Key Points
- The government will open an Integrated Anti-Cyber Scam Response Centre at the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau in Samakhusi to combat online financial fraud.
- The centre will operate 24/7 with representatives from police, Nepal Rastra Bank, banks, telecom companies and payment service providers to freeze accounts and trace stolen money within minutes.
- A new workflow requires complaints to be registered, classified and acted on quickly, including freezing funds, disabling SIM cards and blocking phishing domains.
- The private sector has welcomed the move, but experts say the centre alone will not eliminate cyber fraud overnight.
