Cyber Fraud Cases Surge in Bengaluru, ₹1,242.7 Crore Lost in Eight Months

Bengaluru: The city has witnessed an alarming rise in cyber fraud cases, with victims losing a staggering ₹1,242.7 crore in just eight months of the current year. This amount surpasses the total losses reported in the previous three years (2021-2023) by ₹214.6 crore.

According to police statistics, 12,356 cyber crime cases were registered in Bengaluru up to August 31 this year, averaging 1,546 cases per month. Of these, only 552 cases have been solved, marking a significant drop in the detection rate to just 4%.

The number of cyber crime cases has been steadily increasing over the years:
– 2021: 6,422 cases
– 2022: 9,938 cases
– 2023: 17,633 cases (averaging 1,470 cases per month)

Financial losses due to cyber crimes have also escalated:
– 2021: ₹2,313 crore
– 2022: ₹279 crore
– 2023: ₹655 crore

A senior police official stated, “Cyber cases are likely to increase year by year. We expect the number to reach 20,000 by the end of this year.”

The nature of cyber crimes is evolving with advancing technology. A senior CID officer explained, “Recently, there’s been an increase in investment scams where people lose large sums of money believing fraudsters’ promises.” Other common scams involve courier services, Aadhaar numbers, and false job offers.

Officials cite work pressure and staff shortage as reasons for the declining solve rate and recovery of stolen assets. Statistics reveal that 39% of sanctioned positions in the cyber crime department have remained vacant for several months.

“Some of our expert cyber crime officers have been assigned to special investigation teams for cases involving politicians. This naturally impacts the investigation of regular cases,” an official explained.

The rising trend in cyber fraud cases and the decreasing solve rate highlight the urgent need for strengthened cyber security measures and increased public awareness in Bengaluru.