Cybercrime losses cross Rs 22,845 cr in 2024
NEW DELHI: Citizens in India lost more than Rs 22,845 crore to cyber fraud in 2024, marking a steep rise of nearly 206 per cent from the previous year, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
In response to a written question, Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar stated that data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS) revealed a significant surge in financial cybercrime. “A total of 3,637,288 cases related to financial fraud were reported in 2024, compared to 2,442,978 in 2023,” he said. The reported losses had stood at Rs 7,465 crore the year before. According to the minister, the CFCFRMS platform, launched in 2021 under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), is designed to enable real-time reporting and response to financial cyber frauds. “So far, more than Rs 5,489 crore has been saved through interventions in over 17.82 lakh complaints,” Kumar informed the House. The NCRP has also recorded a consistent rise in cybercrime reports. In 2022, 10.29 lakh incidents were registered, which increased to 15.96 lakh in 2023 and further to 22.68 lakh in 2024. Kumar added that while the NCRP receives complaints, it is the responsibility of state and Union Territory law enforcement agencies to register FIRs, investigate, and take necessary legal action. “Police authorities at the local level handle follow-up procedures, including arrests and chargesheets,” he said.
The government has also introduced multiple mechanisms to identify and disrupt cybercriminal networks. A Suspect Registry was introduced in September 2024 in partnership with banks and financial institutions. According to the minister, over 11 lakh suspect identifiers and more than 24 lakh mule accounts have been shared with banks, resulting in the protection of more than Rs 4,631 crore. Efforts to target infrastructure used in cybercrime have also seen action. “Over 9.42 lakh SIM cards and 2,63,348 IMEIs have been blocked based on inputs from police,” Kumar said. The I4C has also developed a tool called Pratibimb, which maps cybercrime infrastructure and allows officers to request technical and legal assistance. “This has helped in arresting 10,599 suspects, identifying 26,096 linkages, and processing 63,019 requests for cyber investigation support,” he noted. To improve coordination and victim support, the Ministry has activated helpline number 1930 and operationalised the Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre (CFMC), enabling collaboration between law enforcement, telecom operators, and financial intermediaries.
The government has also launched an extensive public awareness campaign in response to scams such as “digital arrests.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue during his Mann Ki Baat address on October 27, 2024. Since then, the campaign has used platforms such as radio, newspapers, cinema halls, caller tunes in multiple languages, and even IPL matches to spread awareness. While cybercrime is a state subject, the Centre continues to support states and Union Territories through advisories, funding, and training programmes under I4C. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), cybercrime cases rose from 27,248 in 2018 to 65,893 in 2022. Data specifically related to elderly victims is not maintained separately. In Kerala, certain districts such as Kollam Rural and Kozhikode Rural recorded more cyber fraud cases in 2022 compared to 2021. However, several districts including Idukki, Palakkad, and Pathanamthitta, reported no cases that year.
