A recent surge in cybercrime incidents has raised alarms in India, with fraudsters reportedly duping people of a staggering Rs 33,165 crore over the past four years. The data, compiled by the National Cyber Reporting Platform (NCRP) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, reveals that fraudsters managed to swindle Rs 22,812 crore in 2024 alone, marking a significant spike in cybercrime activities.
The statistics further indicate that the trend of cyber fraud has been on the rise, with fraudsters making away with Rs 551 crore in 2021, Rs 2,306 crore in 2022, and a startling Rs 7,496 crore in 2023. Additionally, the number of complaints received in connection with cybercrimes has also seen a substantial increase over the years. In 2021, a total of 1,37,254 complaints were lodged, which surged to 5,15,083 in 2022, further escalating to 11,31,649 in 2023, and finally reaching 17,10,505 complaints in the year gone by.
Authorities have identified several Tier 2 and 3 cities across the country as hotspots for cybercrime, with places like Deoghar in Jharkhand, Deeg, Alwar, Jaipur, and Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Nuh in Haryana, Mathura and Gautam Buddha Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, Kolkata in West Bengal, Surat in Gujarat, Nalanda and Nawada in Bihar, Bengaluru urban in Karnataka, and Kozhikode in Kerala emerging as domestic hubs for cyber fraudsters.
In response to the escalating cybercrime scenario, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reportedly directed the Home Ministry to develop an e-FIR system that would allow citizens to file complaints through the NCRP platform. A recent meeting chaired by Shah in December focused on discussing various issues, trends, and measures related to combating cyber fraud. Among the solutions proposed, the creation of an e-FIR system was highlighted as a key step towards providing a hassle-free platform for victims of cyber fraud, especially those who have lost Rs 10 lakh or more.
Efforts are presently underway to implement the e-FIR system, with multiple teams including the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) collaborating on the initiative. The proposed system aims to establish a nationalized cyber-police station within the NCRP portal, enabling individuals to not only lodge complaints but also file e-FIRs. Subsequently, the e-FIR would be forwarded to the relevant jurisdictional police station for further investigation.
During the meeting, Shah was also briefed about the operational online ‘suspect registry,’ which has successfully prevented six lakh fraudulent transactions in the span of three months, saving a whopping Rs 1,800 crore. The suspect registry contains vital data of 1.4 million cybercriminals involved in financial fraud and other cybercrimes, presenting a crucial resource for law enforcement agencies at both the state and central levels.
As the threat of cyber fraud looms large, the government remains committed to strengthening its cybersecurity infrastructure and enhancing mechanisms to combat fraudulent activities in the digital realm. With concerted efforts and proactive measures, the authorities aim to curb cybercrime and safeguard the financial interests of citizens across the country.