Customers will qualify for compensation even if they mistakenly share the OTP.
The Supreme Court has expressed serious concerns about the rise in digital fraud, particularly digital arrest scams, and has directed the central government to develop a standard operating procedure to combat these crimes.
We propose an expert group be set up to form a national strategy on digital fraud. This group would bring together skills in financial regulation, security economics, cyber defence, and public communications, and an understanding of the Indian financial and security systems. It should lay the foundations of a coordinated approach by the Indian State in fighting digital fraud, suggest Ajay Shah and Nandkumar Saravade.
Bhubaneswar police have busted a fraudulent digital escort service racket, arresting four individuals for allegedly misusing women's photographs on social media and cheating customers through online payments. The investigation, initiated by a woman's complaint, led to the seizure of digital evidence and a public advisory against such scams.
It said that when a retiree, who withdraws amounts in the range of Rs 10,000 or Rs 20,000, suddenly withdraws huge amounts, then the bank should issue an alert.
Gurugram Police have arrested a man from Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, for his alleged involvement in an Rs 8.30 lakh cyber fraud. The accused provided his bank account, which was used to receive the cheated amount from a victim who was subjected to a "digital arrest" by fraudsters impersonating government officials. The investigation is ongoing to trace other individuals involved.
Gurugram Police have arrested a man from Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, for his alleged involvement in an Rs 8.30 lakh cyber fraud. The accused provided his bank account, which was used to receive the cheated amount from a victim who was subjected to a "digital arrest" by fraudsters impersonating government officials. The investigation is ongoing to trace other individuals involved.
Gurugram police have arrested two individuals, Mohammad Saif Ali and Saurabh Kumar, for their involvement in a Rs 78 lakh digital arrest cyber fraud. The victim was coerced into transferring money after being intimidated by a scammer posing as a police officer. Investigations revealed that one of the accused's bank accounts, used to receive defrauded funds, was linked to 52 other fraudulent transactions.
In today's rapidly evolving digital payment landscape, security concerns remain a top priority for stakeholders across sectors.
Gurugram police have arrested five individuals in connection with a Rs 42.92 lakh digital arrest scam. The fraudsters posed as CBI officers, intimidated a victim, and coerced them into transferring a large sum of money. The arrested individuals include account holders and those who withdrew the defrauded cash.
Chief Justice of India expresses concern over the increasing number of digital arrest scams, highlighting a recent case where an elderly woman was defrauded of her retirement benefits.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the 69th All India Police Duty Meet (AIPDM) 2025-26, emphasising the need for police to stay ahead of criminals in the digital age and improve investigation skills.
The highest number of frauds was reported under the card, Internet, and digital payments categories in FY24 and FY25. 'Advances' accounted for the largest share (85.5 per cent) in FY26.
Customers must report the fraud both to their bank and to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or Helpline 1930 within five calendar days of the occurrence of the fraudulent transaction.
Kerala Police chief Ravada Chandrasekhar highlighted cyber fraud as a serious social challenge, particularly targeting youth, during the inauguration of 'RBI Reelathon 2026'. This multi-phase awareness campaign by the Reserve Bank of India aims to engage college students in combating cyber financial frauds through creative content creation and timely reporting.
Three alleged cyber fraudsters, including the mastermind, have been arrested in Gorakhpur for operating a fake merchant QR code racket. They used forged documents and mule accounts to channel money from cyber crimes, with transactions worth crores of rupees linked to cases across several states.
Assam Police have arrested a cyber fraudster suspected of involvement in multi-state digital crimes. The arrest was made by the Crime Investigation Department's Cyber Police Station, and the suspect is believed to have operated a highly active mule account.
Authorities in Delhi have implemented a QR code-based verification system for census enumerators and supervisors to combat rising cyber fraud cases involving impersonation and fake government officials during the Census 2027.
Over 700 doctors in Telangana have collectively lost nearly Rs 30 crore to various cyber frauds since September 2024, prompting the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau to hold an awareness meeting for healthcare professionals. Business and investment frauds accounted for the largest share of losses.
The CBI has arrested three individuals, including an IndusInd Bank assistant manager, in connection with a Rs 1.6 crore "digital arrest" scam. The arrests followed searches in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Delhi Police have dismantled an interstate cyber fraud network, arresting three individuals involved in digital arrest and investment scams that defrauded victims of over Rs 80 lakh.
Himachal Pradesh is experiencing a significant increase in cyber fraud cases, with hundreds of cases registered and substantial financial losses reported. The state government is taking measures to combat this rise, including establishing cyber help desks and providing specialised training to officers.
Delhi Police dismantled multiple interstate cyber fraud syndicates in a month-long operation, arresting 35 and bringing 89 offenders to justice. The syndicates were involved in various scams, including digital arrest, investment fraud, and fake dating schemes, with transactions worth nearly Rs 40 crore.
Delhi Police have arrested three individuals for their alleged involvement in facilitating a 'digital arrest' fraud racket, which resulted in a Paschim Vihar resident being defrauded of Rs 14.2 lakh.
The Supreme Court of India will hear a suo motu case concerning victims of digital arrest, a growing form of cybercrime where fraudsters impersonate officials to extort money from victims.
The Delhi High Court denied anticipatory bail to a man accused in an organised cyber fraud case involving the transfer of approximately Rs 1 crore in cryptocurrency. The court emphasised the need for custodial interrogation to unearth the larger conspiracy and recover the cheated amount.
Gujarat police have uncovered cyber frauds worth Rs 2,289 crore and arrested 638 individuals as part of 'Operation Mule Account 1.0', a state-wide crackdown on online criminals launched in 2025.
It will enable real-time intel sharing among banks and other financial sector participants to strengthen customer protection against digital fraud.
Patan Police have busted a large-scale cyber fraud racket, arresting 14 individuals involved in illegal transactions worth Rs 398.43 crore through 13 'mule accounts'. The operation, dubbed "Operation Mule Hunt 2.0", uncovered a network linked to 228 inter-state cyber fraud complaints, where individuals were lured to open bank accounts used to channel proceeds of cyber crimes.
Delhi Police dismantled an interstate cyber fraud network involved in routing illicit funds through bank account kits, SIM cards, and ATM credentials, leading to the arrest of three key individuals from Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
Delhi Police have dismantled an interstate cyber fraud syndicate, arresting three key operatives involved in siphoning off money through unauthorised banking transactions. The police successfully froze approximately Rs 4 lakh of the Rs 4.82 lakh stolen from a victim's account and recovered numerous debit cards, SIM cards, and mobile phones used in the operation.
While opening new accounts, banks can check if the name appears in any mule data. In case it does, the bank can conduct enhanced due diligence.
Delhi Police arrested over 600 individuals and detained more than 8,000 suspects during Operation CyHawk 4.0, a major crackdown on cybercrime.
A 20-year-old hotel receptionist in Delhi has been arrested for allegedly stealing a guest's mobile phone and fraudulently transferring Rs 1.10 lakh from his bank account using IMPS transactions. Police have recovered the stolen phone and frozen a significant portion of the stolen amount.
The Enforcement Directorate is investigating a large-scale cyber fraud operation involving 5,300 Indian SIM cards used from Cambodia by a Malaysian national-led gang, duping people of hundreds of crores. The probe follows raids in Rajasthan and Punjab, identifying 30 bank accounts linked to the fraud.
Dark patterns are no longer just a consumer protection concern, but a broader macroeconomic challenge affecting the long-term sustainability of India's digital commerce ecosystem.
Only bona fide victims would be compensated by banks within five days of receiving the complaint.
Delhi Police have dismantled a cyber fraud racket involving malicious mobile applications, arresting two individuals, including the alleged mastermind from Uttar Pradesh. The accused developed and supplied 'FUD' APK files to cyber fraudsters across the country, enabling them to gain remote access to victims' phones and siphon off money.
Mumbai Police's 1930 cyber helpline has successfully intercepted and frozen over 101 crore defrauded from citizens in the last five months, preventing significant financial losses.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has identified a Grenadian man based in Dubai as the 'beneficial owner' of a Delhi-based company involved in a large-scale betting, gaming, and cyber fraud-linked money-laundering operation in India.
