Mumbai, Aug 27: SVC Co-operative Bank Ltd., formerly known as The Shamrao Vithal Co-operative Bank Ltd. a urban co-operative bank, conducted a large-scale Cyber Awareness Drive across its network of 203 branches spanning 10 states and one Union Territory. As part of the initiative, bank employees visited housing societies in their respective branch catchment areas and conducted interactive awareness sessions to educate citizens on identifying and preventing digital financial frauds.
The campaign covered 213 housing societies and reached over 19,061 residents, making it one of the Bank’s largest community-led financial literacy initiatives.
The awareness sessions featured presentations on the latest cyber fraud trends, educational videos and practical guidance on safe digital banking practices. Participants were sensitised to prevalent frauds such as phishing, fake investment schemes, impersonation scams, OTP and UPI frauds, QR code scams, digital arrest frauds and fraudulent customer care calls. Customers were also educated on identifying genuine banking communications, understanding official banking and promotional sender IDs, and recognising suspicious messages more effectively.
The initiative was organised at a time when cyber-enabled financial frauds continue to rise across the country. According to recent government data, more than 12.7 lakh cyber fraud complaints involving over ₹10,178 crore in suspected fraudulent transactions were reported during the first six months of 2026 alone, underscoring the growing need for greater public awareness alongside technological safeguards.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Ravinder Singh, Managing Director, SVC Co-operative Bank Ltd., said,
“As banking becomes increasingly digital, awareness has become the strongest first line of defence against cyber fraud. While banks continue to strengthen their security infrastructure, customers also need to stay vigilant and informed. Through this nationwide outreach, we are taking cyber safety beyond our branches and directly into communities, empowering citizens with practical knowledge that can help them recognise fraud attempts before they become victims. At SVC Bank, protecting our customers’ interests remains at the heart of everything we do.”
Mr. Durgesh Chandavarkar, Chairman, SVC Co-operative Bank Ltd., added,
“Cyber security is a shared responsibility. As a customer-centric cooperative bank with deep roots, we believe financial literacy must go hand in hand with digital adoption. This initiative reflects our commitment to creating greater awareness among customers and the wider public, enabling them to use digital banking services with confidence while remaining alert to evolving cyber threats.”
During the sessions, SVC Bank officials encouraged participants to adopt basic cyber hygiene practices, including never sharing confidential banking credentials, verifying the authenticity of callers and links before acting, promptly reporting suspicious transactions, and contacting the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal https://cybercrime.gov.in/ in the event of suspected fraud.
With this initiative, SVC Bank reinforced its commitment to safeguarding customers against emerging cyber threats while continuing to strengthen its role as a trusted financial institution that actively contributes to building a cyber-aware and digitally resilient society.