In the first quarter of 2024, Indian citizens lost Rs 120.30 crore in a wave of "digital arrest frauds," according to data from the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C). The scheme, among various cyber scams, saw fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials and falsely accusing victims of criminal involvement, subsequently demanding money to “close the case.”
Revealing data from January to April, I4C Chief Executive Officer Rajesh Kumar noted that, in addition to digital arrest fraud, Indians lost Rs 1,420.48 crore in trading scams, Rs 222.58 crore in investment scams, and Rs 13.23 crore in romance scams.
Reports from the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) show 7.4 lakh complaints between January 1 and April 30 this year, following 15.56 lakh complaints in 2023 and 9.66 lakh in 2022, indicating a steady increase in cybercrime. Many perpetrators are reportedly based in Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, where operations employ sophisticated tactics, including using social media to lure victims with fake employment offers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned the public on October 27 against digital arrest scams, emphasizing that no government agencies make threats or demand money over the phone. He urged citizens to remain vigilant and report such incidents to authorities.