Quintana Roo Cyber Police Find 185 Crime Sites, Only 51 Closed

Cancún, Mexico — The Cyber Police Unit of Quintana Roo has identified 185 websites linked to criminal activities during the first quarter of the year. Of these, only 51 have been deactivated, according to José Interián Parra, the state coordinator of the unit.

Majority of Sites Involved in Digital Fraud

The majority of the detected websites operated under digital fraud schemes. Approximately 44.8% (83 pages) were dedicated to e-commerce scams, while 39 engaged in phishing—the theft of personal data through deception.

Authorities also uncovered 32 fake websites, 12 tied to the so-called "Nigerian fraud," six involved in financial crimes, five linked to digital violence, three for cyber extortion, two for identity theft, and one for spreading fake news.

Of the deactivated platforms, 31 were associated with e-commerce fraud, 10 with phishing, four with Nigerian fraud, three with digital violence, one with identity theft, and one with fake websites.

Challenges in Shutting Down Criminal Sites

Interián acknowledged that the process of taking down criminal websites is slow and complicated. In many cases, the intervention of hosting platforms is required, which only respond to citizen complaints and act under their own policies without a court order.

"The deactivation depends on the hosting provider, their community regulations, and the evidence presented. It is not always immediate," he stated.

Most citizen reports included evidence such as the impersonation of official pages, the use of institutional logos, or the simulation of payment platforms. Despite these efforts, over 70% of the websites identified during this period remain active.