The Common Man Leads Campaign Against Rising Digital Scams in India

Clad in his iconic dhoti and plaid jacket, The Common Man, created by legendary cartoonist RK Laxman, continues to represent India’s aam aadmi. For decades, he has silently observed the challenges faced by ordinary citizens. Now, his sharp eyes are focused on a new threat—digital scams that are plaguing the country.

A report by The Indian Express in November 2024, citing data from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, revealed a staggering loss of ₹11,333 crore to cyber fraud in just the first nine months of 2024. Stock trading scamstopped the list, followed by investment-based fraud, with digital arrests ranking third.

To combat this menace, The Common Man has become the face of a campaign by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), a PSU that oversees India’s retail payment and settlement systems. Through comic strips published in leading newspapers like The Times of India, The Economic Times, Navbharat Times, Maharashtra Times, and Vijay Karnataka, the campaign aims to educate readers about staying vigilant against scams. These strips are available in Hindi, English, Kannada, and Marathi.

Each comic depicts a scamster trying to trick The Common Man, while the accompanying text warns readers to beware of such fraud. “NPCI provides us with the latest updates, which we transform into relatable scenarios,” says Aalap Desai, founder and chief creative officer of tgthr, the creative agency producing the comic strips.

But does using print media to discuss online scams still work? Desai firmly believes so, emphasizing that the campaign targets individuals who aren’t active on LinkedIn or digital platforms. This audience includes people from Tier II and Tier III cities, as well as villages.

“For instance, someone paying for a morning cigarette using UPI at a paan shop and then reading the newspaper at a tea stall is the kind of person we aim to reach,” explains Desai. While the NPCI also runs television ads featuring actor Pankaj Tripathi as part of its Main Moorkh Nahi Hoon campaign, print remains an effective tool for this audience, who may miss TV commercials but engage deeply with newspapers.

Currently published bi-weekly, the comic strips will soon become a weekly feature. According to Desai, the team delivers the strips to The Times of India within a week of receiving updates from NPCI. Initial approval challenges have eased over time, as the agency now understands what works best.

Through this campaign, The Common Man continues to serve the aam aadmi, offering a voice of caution in the fight against digital fraud.