Cyber fraud

Cyber fraud cost Haryana residents Rs 72.84 crore in January, according to police.

In their guidance on coping with various frauds, including “digital arrests,” the Haryana police state that the first six hours are critical if one becomes a victim of cyber fraud. According to the police, Haryana residents lost Rs 72.84 crore to cyber theft in January this year. This is Rs 14 crore less than the Rs 86.18 crore cybercriminals stole from individuals in January 2024. The police say their awareness campaigns were responsible for the 433 extra cybercriminals they detained in January this year compared to January 2024. The Haryana Police’s prompt action has also resulted in a large increase in the money saved from cybercriminals in January 2025 compared to January 2024. The Haryana Police took tough measures against cyber criminals, and in January 2025, they apprehended four times as many offenders. 571 offenders have been apprehended this year (130 from Haryana and 441 from other states), compared to 138 cybercriminals who were detained in January 2024, DGP Shatrujeet Kapur said in a statement. Issuing an appeal to the public, DGP Kapur said, “In this era of technology, most people are active on online platforms. If anyone calls and introduces themselves as an officer of the CBI, ED, or police and talks about the digital arrest, be immediately alert because no investigating agency does this kind of thing. People should not fall into the trap of fake share trading being broadcast on social media platforms. Before investing, be sure to officially confirm the company and website. “Additionally, people should not answer WhatsApp video and audio calls coming from abroad, especially from Cambodia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, etc. They should be cautious of fake advertisements appearing on Telegram and Google. The Haryana Police is continuously running awareness campaigns on print and social media to educate the public about the methods adopted by cybercriminals. The only way to avoid cybercrime is through caution and vigilance, so people should be vigilant and contact helpline number 1930 immediately if there is any apprehension of cybercrime.” “The Haryana Police, which was at the 23rd position in the country in September 2023 in terms of the rate of blocked amounts in cyber fraud, has now reached the first position. The rate of blocked amounts in cyber fraud and the recovery being done by the cyber police stations, which was seven per cent of the defrauded amount in September 2023, increased to 36 per cent in December 2024, the highest in the country. If a complainant files a complaint within six hours of cyber fraud, up to 70 per cent of the defrauded amount is blocked. It is the highest success rate in the entire country,” DGP Kapur further said in the statement. Union Home Minister Amit Shah honoured the police on September 10, 2024, for efficiently implementing the cyber helpline 1930. Amount saved from cyber scammers 2023 – Rs 76.85 crore 2024 – Rs 268.40 crore FIRs registered against cyber scammers 2022 – 2165 FIRs 2023 – 2747 2024 – 5511 Cyber scammers arrested 2022 – 1078 2023 – 1909 2024 – 5156 Out of 5,156 cyber scammers arrested in 2024, 70% (3,555 accused) were residents of other states. The total number of arrests also averaged 14 per day in 2024. The defrauded amount was refunded to the victims 2023 – Rs 33 crore 2024 – Rs 95.45 crore

Man learns ‘cyber fraud tricks from YouTube’, dupes NRI of Rs 28 lakh

Palwinder Singh swapped Iqbal Singh’s SIM card for a duplicate one. Then he requested new debit cards linked to Iqbal Singh’s accounts and used the UPI platform to carry out numerous transactions. A man who duped an NRI of Rs 28 lakh after learning “cyber fraud tricks from YouTube” has been arrested, Ludhiana Police said on 26/11/2024. Iqbal Singh Sandhu, the NRI from Canada and a native of Ludhiana’s BRS Nagar discovered the fraud during his recent visit to India, the police said. Between May 12 and October 31, a total of Rs 28 lakh was siphoned from his three bank accounts without his knowledge, the police said. According to the police, the accused, Palwinder Singh, had worked as Iqbal Singh’s driver. Also, he additionally worked as a taxi driver. Investigations revealed that Palwinder Singh thoroughly planned the fraud after watching videos online that explained methods to access and transfer money from others’ bank accounts. DCP Jaskiranjit Singh Teja said that on May 11, Palwinder Singh drove Iqbal Singh to Amritsar airport for his flight to Canada. During their brief stopover at an eatery, Palwinder Singh swapped Iqbal Singh’s SIM card for a duplicate one. Unaware of the swap, Iqbal Singh replaced his Indian SIM with an international one after boarding the flight. With access to Iqbal Singh’s phone number and email password, Palwinder Singh allegedly applied his newly acquired skills. He requested new debit cards linked to Iqbal Singh’s accounts and used the UPI platform to carry out numerous transactions. He made payments at fuel stations and collected cash in return. He conducted various transactions via UPI, the police said. The DCP added that on November 13, Iqbal Singh filed a complaint with the cybercrime police, reporting unauthorized withdrawals. A detailed investigation led the police to Palwinder Singh, who confessed to the crime during questioning. The police have recovered Rs 13.58 lakh, along with several passbooks, checkbooks, and debit cards.

Cyber Crime: 11,333 Crore loss in just 9 monoliths In Cyber Scams Have Hit India

Data compiled by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) shows nearly half of the 12 lakh cyber fraud complaints received in 2024 were perpetrated by fraudsters based in Southeast Asian countries — Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos.According to data compiled by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), a division of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), India lost approximately Rs 11,333 crore to cyber fraud in the first nine months of 2024. Stock trading scams accounted for the largest share, with losses of Rs 4,636 crore from 2,28,094 complaints. Investment-based scams caused losses of Rs 3,216 crore from 1,00,360 complaints, while Rs 1,616 crore was lost to “digital arrest” frauds across 63,481 complaints. Data from the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS), as seen by The Indian Express, showed nearly 12 lakh cyber fraud complaints were received in 2024, with 45% of these originating from Southeast Asian countries—Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. Since 2021, the CFCFRMS has recorded 30.05 lakh complaints, leading to losses amounting to ₹27,914 crore. Of these, 11,31,221 complaints were registered in 2023, 5,14,741 in 2022, and 1,35,242 in 2021. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently cautioned citizens about “digital arrest” frauds during the 115th edition of his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio program. Stressing that no government agency contacts individuals via phone or video calls for investigations, Modi urged the public to remain alert. “There is no system like digital arrest under the law,” he said, emphasizing the importance of awareness to combat such scams. An analysis of cyber frauds this year revealed that stolen money is often withdrawn using cheques, central bank digital currency (CBDC), fintech crypto, ATMs, merchant payments, and e-wallets. Over the past year, the I4C has frozen around 4.5 lakh mule bank accounts, typically used to launder the proceeds of cybercrime. At a recent anti-terror conference, the I4C flagged challenges faced by investigators in cyber fraud cases, including the anonymity of digital wallets, foreign money exchanges, lack of KYC protocols, VPN access, and cryptocurrency frauds originating from abroad. In collaboration with the telecom ministry, the I4C has also blocked 17,000 WhatsApp accounts linked to cybercriminals operating out of Southeast Asia, as part of efforts to disrupt offshore criminal networks and strengthen India’s digital security.

Rs 12L refunded to FedEx parcel scam victim

The Hyderabad city cyber-crime police refunded an amount of Rs 12 lakh to victims cheated by cyber fraudsters under the pretext of FedEx. According to the police, they received a complaint from a 51-year-old male private employee from Hyderabad, stating that cyber fraudsters had cheated him under the pretext of FedEx parcels and fake police. The fraudsters made him transfer an amount of Rs 16 lakh to bank accounts provided by the accused. Following the complaint, the cybercrime police registered a case, and the investigation is underway. Inspector K Madhusudhan Rao and his team made significant efforts to send notices to the bank officials, followed up to freeze the fraudulent amount, and guided the complainant to file a petition in court for the refund of the held funds. The police said the efforts resulted in Rs 12 lakh refunding the complainant’s bank account. Cybercrime police advised people not to panic if they receive any threatening video calls claiming them to be CBI, RBI, ED, customs, judges, cybercrime police, narcotics, FedEx, BSNL, and TRAI. There is no digital arrest or inquiry in the system. If a call raises suspicions, individuals should end the call immediately, without engaging further, and any fear report near the police station. Any government agency or law enforcement officials will not make Skype calls and demand monNo government agency or law enforcement officials will ey to clear the issue. Scammers can employ psychological tactics to manipulate emotions and decision-making. Do not deposit money in the unknown bank accounts believing false promises of unknown persons.

India targets offshore cyber criminals, blocks 17,000 WhatsApp accounts

Sources confirmed that these accounts were actively involved in trapping Indians through digital arrests. More than 50 per cent of the accounts had been active since January 2024. Taking a significant step against offshore criminals operating from Asian countries to dupe Indians in cyber fraud, India has successfully blocked 17,000 WhatsApp accounts. According to top-level sources familiar with the development, “In a special initiative to disrupt the offshore criminal network, Team I4C worked together with the Department of Telecom to block 17,000 WhatsApp accounts used by Southeast Asia-based cyber criminals.” Sources also confirmed that these accounts were actively involved in trapping Indians through digital arrests. More than 50 per cent of the accounts had been active since January 2024, sources said. “These accounts were used in various types of cyber fraud. Most of them were used to dupe people through digital arrests. Multiple SIM cards were used in coordination to defraud Indians. During the investigation, it was found that the locations of these accounts were not in India. Despite a tough procedure, the government managed to block these accounts,” a senior government official stated. Indian agencies also employed the latest technology and artificial intelligence to identify these accounts. Additionally, various state police forces assisted central agencies in blocking these 17,000 WhatsApp accounts. Indian agencies had previously blocked Skype accounts, and now, with the help of state cyber wings, the blocking of these WhatsApp accounts is expected to deliver a major blow to cyber criminals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already warned against the dangers of “digital arrests” and emphasized that no investigative agency ever establishes contact over the phone or video call to demand money or interrogate people. During his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ broadcast, Modi stated that this particular form of cybercrime affects all sections of society. He urged people to adopt the mantra of “stop, think, and take action” when confronted with such a scam. Under the digital arrest fraud scheme, callers impersonate police, CBI, RBI, or narcotics officials, speaking with confidence to deceive victims. “People asked me to talk about this in Mann Ki Baat. You need to understand this. The first step is collecting your personal information. The second step is creating an atmosphere of fear. They will scare you so much that you won’t even be able to think. The third step is applying time pressure. Victims of digital arrests come from all sections of society and all age groups. Many have lost lakhs of their hard-earned money. If you ever get a call like this, don’t be afraid. You should know that no investigating agency conducts such interrogations over the phone or video call,” he said.