The CBI has registered separate cases related to digital arrest fraud targeting a former professor and a retired gynaecologist from Gujarat, who were defrauded of a total of Rs 30 crore.
Rajasthan police have made a second arrest in Kochi in connection with a "digital arrest" fraud where a 90-year-old retired judge was defrauded of Rs 2.5 crore. The victim was allegedly kept under digital arrest for 15 days and coerced into transferring money by fraudsters posing as CBI officials and an RBI manager.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged states to balance the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence with the need to safeguard against social challenges like cyber fraud and drug abuse. He also warned of the risks posed by El Nino conditions, calling for stronger water conservation measures and emphasising the collective resolve towards a 'Viksit Bharat'.
Delhi Police have dismantled three multi-state cyber fraud networks involved in online investment scams, fake trading applications, and KYC fraud, leading to the arrest of three key individuals.
A Kerala MLA, K Shantakumari, was targeted by a cyber fraud gang impersonating Anti-Terrorism Squad officers, who claimed she was linked to a bomb blast case. She reported the incident to the cyber cell after uncovering their deception.
The Mumbai Police has assured the Bombay High Court that it will act promptly on cyber fraud complaints and sensitize all police officials to ensure prompt action and FIR registration when such complaints are filed. The assurance came after a city-based woman filed a petition alleging that the local police failed to act swiftly on her cyber fraud complaint, resulting in a loss of Rs 45 lakh. The court has directed the Additional Director General of Police (Maharashtra Cyber) to appear before it on April 22 to inform the bench on the formation of the Maharashtra Cyber Security Corporation.
A retired school teacher in Kanpur was allegedly defrauded of Rs 1.57 crore (approximately 150,000) in a sophisticated cyber scam involving impersonations of Mark Zuckerberg and associates of Elon Musk.
A 42-year-old man from Thane, Maharashtra, was allegedly defrauded of 71.1 lakh by cyber criminals posing as CBI officers who threatened to implicate him in a false case.
A mobile technician was arrested in Punjab for allegedly hacking a customer's phone using an APK file and fraudulently withdrawing nearly Rs 2 lakh from their bank account. The accused, identified as Rohit, was apprehended following a complaint lodged in Gurugram.
Rajasthan Police arrested Wasim Hussain in Gurugram for his alleged role in a cyber fraud case. A Jaipur resident was swindled out of Rs 22 lakh after fraudsters, posing as an American citizen, promised a job abroad for his son and demanded various clearance fees. Hussain allegedly provided mule bank accounts used to receive part of the defrauded amount.
Delhi Police have dismantled a cyber fraud operation that swindled a railway employee out of approximately Rs 60,000 under the guise of an online lottery. The investigation led to multiple arrests and uncovered a network using fake identities to open bank accounts for illicit transactions.
A retired ITBP officer in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district has reported an online fraud of approximately 17.52 lakh from his bank accounts. Police have registered a case and are investigating the incident.
Nuh Police have arrested three alleged cyber fraudsters involved in sextortion and online fraud through fake messages. Police also recovered fake SIM cards, mobile phones, and digital data related to cyber fraud from their possession.
The Enforcement Directorate has made its sixth arrest, Mukesh Kumar Pukhraj Jain, in a pan-India cyber fraud and digital arrest case involving transactions worth Rs 30,000 crore. Jain is accused of acting as an RTGS agent for the criminal network. The probe, initiated by a Goa Police FIR, uncovered a vast money laundering operation across 20 states, with funds converted into foreign currency and linked to numerous shell companies.
The Bengaluru police have launched a probe into a cyber fraud case where hackers allegedly infiltrated the official email communication between city-based Group Pharmaceuticals and Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Hyderabad, successfully diverting a payment of Rs 2.16 crore to a fraudulent account.
Panchkula police have busted a cyber-fraud gang, arresting two individuals, Manoj Kumar and Anil, for allegedly targeting elderly and less-educated people. The accused tricked victims into revealing ATM PINs, swapped their cards, and withdrew money. Police recovered 70 ATM cards, a POS machine, and mobile phones, with further investigation underway to identify other gang members and affected ATMs in Haryana and Delhi.
Gujarat cyber police have arrested 13 individuals allegedly involved in a network responsible for 982 cyber crimes across India, resulting in losses of over Rs 631 crore.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the democratisation of technology to ensure no section of society is left behind, advocating for affordable and accessible digital services, especially for the Global South. He highlighted the potential of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and called for solutions to cyber fraud, global standards for emerging tech, and mechanisms to identify AI-generated content during his interaction with GSMA board members.
The number of digital financial frauds rose more than four times in FY24 year-on-year to comprise 80 per cent of all financial frauds.
To educate customers on the modus operandi of financial fraudsters and share inputs on safe banking habits, banks are now coming up with awareness campaigns aimed at preventing customers from falling into the trap of fraudsters.
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.
Goa Police have arrested two men, Sagar Prakash Dholvi and Ajinkya Ravindra Abhang, from Maharashtra for allegedly defrauding a senior citizen of Rs 39.01 lakh through a fraudulent online investment scheme. The accused lured the victim via WhatsApp, showed fictitious profits, and then stopped responding after demanding more payments. Police have secured Rs 23.12 lakh belonging to the complainant and advise caution against such schemes.
Five individuals, including an electronic repair shop owner and a DJ operator, have been arrested for allegedly defrauding a 78-year-old Delhi resident of over Rs 2.19 crore through a sophisticated cyber fraud involving impersonation of law enforcement officials and a 'digital arrest'.
A 52-year-old labourer, Santosh Kumar Gupta, has been arrested in New Delhi for allegedly facilitating an online investment fraud by lending his bank account to route Rs 5 lakh of defrauded money. He is suspected of acting as an India-based facilitator for an international cyber fraud network.
A man from Kochi has been arrested in connection with a 'digital arrest' scam that defrauded a retired judge in Rajasthan of Rs 2.5 crore. The accused allegedly threatened the judge with false links to hawala transactions and the Pulwama case, leading to his apprehension in a coordinated police operation.
A police inspector with the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau has been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe to protect the family and friends of an individual booked in a cyber fraud case.
'It's not about individuals operating the mule accounts being more or less skilled. Instead, 'lower-level' refers to the role the individual account plays in the broader mule network.'
Keralam police have issued a public caution against cyber fraudsters who use fake customer care numbers of banks and e-commerce platforms to deceive individuals and steal their personal and financial information. Fraudsters post fake numbers online, then contact victims posing as support agents, asking them to install remote access apps or make small payments to gain access to sensitive data.
A Nigerian national was arrested in Delhi by the Uttar Pradesh STF for allegedly creating fake profiles of US and UK citizens on social media and cheating victims on the pretext of sending expensive gifts and foreign currency.
Delhi Police have arrested two men in connection with separate cyber investment fraud cases involving over Rs 74 lakh. The accused were involved in luring victims into investing in fake stock trading and IPO platforms.
Phishing sites mimicked SBI, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank to steal card details and OTPs.
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.
The Union Home Ministry has issued a stern advisory to states and Union Territories, highlighting a "dangerous trend" of human trafficking through "overseas recruitment scams." These scams lure victims with promises of high-paying jobs abroad, only to trap them in "CyberFraud Centres." The ministry has called for a "specialised offensive" involving various state agencies to combat this growing menace, emphasising strict enforcement, agency verification, and public awareness.
Delhi Police have arrested 11 individuals involved in multiple "digital-arrest" scams, recovering over Rs 12 crore. The scams, linked to handlers in Southeast Asia, have affected 78 complainants nationwide, totaling Rs 73 crore. A retired scientist was defrauded of Rs 1.25 crore, with the entire amount frozen. The investigation uncovered a network arranging mule bank accounts and using cryptocurrency for commissions.
The CBI has filed a chargesheet against 17 people, including four Chinese nationals, and 58 companies for their alleged roles in a transnational cyber fraud network that siphoned off over Rs 1,000 crore.
Gurugram police have dismantled a cyber fraud operation run from a call centre in Ghaziabad, arresting three individuals accused of defrauding people of significant sums through deceptive insurance and government bond investment schemes.
A businessman in Ratlam was allegedly defrauded of Rs 55 lakh by cyber criminals posing as police officers. The fraudsters claimed his mobile number was linked to Pakistan's ISI and threatened legal action, coercing him to transfer funds. Three accused have been apprehended, and Rs 20 lakh of the defrauded amount has been blocked.
The victim, who had a keen interest in stock market investments, was lured by fraudsters with promises of hefty returns on investments in stocks.
An Italian woman, Paola Bertolini, travelled to Gurugram, India, to report a romance scam where a man allegedly swindled 1,000 euros from her. Dissatisfied with the response in Italy, she approached the Gurugram Cyber Police, who have registered a case and launched a search for the accused.
