The Indian government has sought explanations from WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal regarding their username features, citing serious concerns about potential impersonation and cybercrime. IT Secretary S Krishnan highlighted the risks, leading to notices being served to these platforms, with WhatsApp specifically asked to pause its rollout of the feature.
Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato has called for the formulation of a more effective and stringent policy to curb cybercrimes, fraud, and digital scams. He highlighted the dual nature of artificial intelligence, which simplifies life but also presents serious challenges through misuse. Various experts and MLAs at a workshop emphasised the importance of cybersecurity education, personal digital responsibility, and empowering legislators to strengthen institutional resilience against cyber threats.
The CBI successfully coordinated the repatriation of Ganesh Balaso Kale, a cybercrime suspect from Thailand, and Vainket Garg, wanted for murder and other offences, from Georgia, demonstrating effective international law enforcement cooperation.
The Supreme Court has directed the Reserve Bank of India to prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) within four weeks to deal with bank accounts linked to cyber frauds, including mule accounts. This directive is part of a broader effort to strengthen responses to cyber-enabled financial frauds, with the court also urging states and UTs to adopt and operationalise grievance redressal and money restoration modules.
Kota police, under the 'Mule Hunter' campaign, have arrested two individuals for allegedly committing online fraud, targeting victims as far away as Murshidabad, West Bengal. The arrests followed an analysis of suspected mule accounts and mobile numbers, revealing fraudulent transactions and prompting charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the IT Act.
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sought an explanation from WhatsApp regarding its username feature, citing concerns over potential cybercrime facilitation. Concurrently, the ministry is investigating reported data leak allegations involving Tata Electronics, a key supplier for Apple's iPhone components in India. MeitY is also exploring techno-legal solutions for VPNs to address challenges posed by unregistered providers operating from outside India.
Delhi Police arrested over 600 people and rounded up over 8,300 suspects during Operation CyHawk 4.0, a large-scale crackdown on cybercrime.
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.
India's markets regulator, Sebi, has issued a warning to listed companies and regulated entities about an emerging cyber fraud known as the "Boss Scam." This scam involves fraudsters impersonating senior officials like CEOs or MDs to trick finance teams into transferring funds, often using advanced AI tools or malicious software. Sebi advises organisations to verify requests independently and report incidents to prevent financial losses.
Uttar Pradesh DGP Rajeev Krishna stated that the state's law and order situation has significantly improved, with criminals losing their former confidence. He warned against anti-social elements using social media to intimidate and discussed ongoing probes into the Ayodhya Ram Mandir irregularities and the extradition of a drug trafficking kingpin. The DGP also highlighted the rising challenge of cybercrime and police efforts to combat it.
WhatsApp is testing new ways for users in India to confirm their age as it prepares to comply with upcoming legal requirements, including those related to the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, the Meta-owned messaging platform said on Tuesday.
India's IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to summon Meta regarding Instagram ads promoting child sexual abuse material, following a BBC investigation. This action comes shortly after the government also questioned Meta about WhatsApp's planned username feature, citing concerns over increased online fraud and cybercrimes.
Meta-owned WhatsApp has been granted more time to submit its response on the contentious 'username' feature and assured the government that it will not roll it out in India until discussions are complete, according to sources.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Centre is committed to curbing unnatural demographic growth caused by abnormal factors, such as infiltration, with a ruthless approach and a quadrangular security grid has been created for the purpose, transforming India's approach from reactive to proactive.
India recorded a 6% dip in overall crime in 2024, with 58.85 lakh cases registered compared to 62.41 lakh in 2023, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. Crime rates per lakh population also decreased, with Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal leading in solving crimes. While some crimes like those against women and SC/STs saw declines, cybercrime and crimes against senior citizens increased.
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.
Meta-owned WhatsApp has submitted its reply to the government's notice on the "username" feature and the response is being examined, sources said on Thursday.
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.
India's IT Ministry has issued notices to Telegram and Signal, following a similar action against WhatsApp, questioning their username features due to concerns over increased online fraud, phishing, and impersonation. The government is seeking explanations on how these platforms address such risks, with one homegrown app already disabling the feature.
The government has issued a stern notice to Meta on Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) in paid advertisements on Instagram, sources said on Sunday.
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.
The Indian government has issued a notice to Meta regarding WhatsApp's upcoming username feature, warning the platform not to roll it out until concerns about potential fraud, impersonation, and public safety are addressed to the government's satisfaction.
WhatsApp has asserted that username reservation relating to well-known public figure names is restricted only to their legitimate account owners, and termed as "false" any claims that people are reserving popular or well-known usernames.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral was allegedly duped of Rs 7.8 crore after cyber fraudsters impersonated him on a messaging app and tricked his company's chief financial officer into transferring funds to multiple bank accounts, the police said on Thursday.
'Dark patterns exploit human psychology, cognitive biases, urgency, confusion, or lack of attention to increase revenue for digital platforms at the expense of consumer choice and transparency.'
The first thing cardholders should do after spotting a suspicious charge is block the card.
Kerala police have issued a warning about a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting football fans. Scammers are using fake OTT apps and social media advertisements promising free access to FIFA World Cup 2026 matches. These malicious apps gain control of users' phones and illegally withdraw money from bank accounts. The police advise downloading apps only from official stores and being cautious of suspicious permissions.
Gujarat's Gir Somnath police have busted a massive cyber fraud racket involving over Rs 310 crore in suspicious transactions through mule bank accounts, arresting five individuals. This operation, part of the state-wide "Operation Mule Hunt 2.0," is considered the district's largest cybercrime case to date, aiming to recover victims' money and curb illegal account rentals.
'Cyberbullying has become extremely worrisome now, with several complaints being received from schools.'
The CBI has arrested Ubaid Ullah, a key conspirator in a cyber crime network, from Guwahati. He is accused of illegally procuring over 10,000 SIM cards for use in cyber crimes.
Delhi Police have arrested three individuals from Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh for allegedly providing mule bank accounts used to route over Rs 1.22 crore in proceeds from various cyber fraud schemes.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar has proposed a Joint Working Group with the RBI and banks to address the issue of mule bank accounts used in cyber fraud. The proposal follows 'Operation Octopus,' which exposed vulnerabilities in KYC verification. Sajjanar also recommended strict directives for banks to fix accountability and adopt advanced technology to detect suspicious transactions.
Punjab Police have successfully traced and returned over 12,000 lost mobile phones to their owners in the past year, utilising technical and data analysis. The recoveries, estimated to be worth between Rs 15 to Rs 20 crore, were made possible through initiatives like the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR).
The Indian government is integrating artificial intelligence into the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) 2.0 to enhance crime tracking, criminal profiling, and predictive policing across the country.
Hyderabad Police have dismantled a pan-India cyber fraud network, arresting 52 individuals across nine states in 'Operation Octopus 2.0'. The operation targeted bank officials, mule account holders, and middlemen involved in facilitating cyber frauds.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar convened a meeting with bankers to address the misuse of bank accounts in cyber frauds and implement preventative measures, following 'Operation Octopus' which dismantled cyber fraud networks and led to arrests of complicit bank officials.
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.
Police in Amravati, Maharashtra, have arrested a second suspect in connection with the sexual exploitation and circulation of obscene videos involving minor girls, after a victim's family reported continued contact from the accused.
Kanpur Police have dismantled a sophisticated cyber fraud syndicate, arresting eight individuals, including five bank officials, for facilitating mule accounts and hawala transactions worth Rs 125 crore.
