Bank officials in Mizoram on Saturday said that theft of money by cyber-criminals from private bank accounts was on the rise and asked the people to take precautionary measures, an official statement today said.

The statement said that many people received SMSes and e-mails in which they were informed that they won a lottery and that they should deposit money in a savings bank account to claim the lottery.

"After the criminals were informed about the account number by the victims, money from their account were stolen by the cyber-criminals," the bank officials said.

Aizawl District SP Lalbiakthanga Khiangte also admitted that cyber-crime has increased in a disturbing proportions.

"Many bank accounts held by Mizos were also used by the criminals to undertake cyber crime," Khiangte said, adding that the police have investigated a number of cases intimated to the state police from outside the state.