BENGALURU: The true financial impact of cybercrimes in Karnataka may be far higher than official reports suggest. Data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) reveals that only 14% of complaints led to FIR registrations, pointing to a concerning trend of underreporting. In 2024, the 1930 toll-free helpline received 1,48,865 calls, but only 20,875 FIRs were filed, showing a stark decline from previous years: 47% in 2021, 26% in 2022, and 24% in 2023.

Karnataka’s financial losses from cybercrimes have spiked dramatically, with losses reaching ₹2,900 crore in 2024, a four-to-five-fold increase since 2021. Despite the mounting losses, only a fraction of cases are formally reported, as many victims of smaller scams hesitate to file complaints. In many cases, victims mistakenly assume that reporting to the helpline is enough, unaware that they still need to visit a police station for an official complaint.

A proposal for a dedicated cybercrime unit, led by a DGP-rank officer, was announced by the Home Minister, but it remains unimplemented. Investigators agree that the actual extent of cybercrime in Karnataka is likely much higher than the official records, calling for improvements in cybercrime reporting and FIR registration.