Effect of Cybercrimes on Working Women in Mumbai: The Financial and Psychological Implications

Abstract

The growing reliance on the digital platforms and online financial transactions has led to the women employees being more susceptible to cybercrimes in metro cities such as Mumbai. This paper is provided both financial and non-financial consequences of cybercrimes on working women. Survey research conducted on 360 women employees in various sectors of Mumbai. A structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data and secondary sources like NCRB reports, RBI Ombudsman and Mumbai Police statistics were consulted. The findings indicate that over a third of the respondents had suffered financial cybercrimes, and the incidence was more in the banking, finance, IT, and retail industries. The most typical forms of crime proved to be phishing, UPI fraud, and e-commerce scam. The victims also experienced loss of money as well as stress, stigma, work disruption and loss of trust in the digital space. The paper comes to a conclusion that cybercrimes against working women are not purely financial problems but rather social and psychological problems as well that need to be addressed through awareness programmes and good redressal grievance mechanisms.