India has been identified as the second most targeted country for cyberscams globally, according to the First Half 2026 Adversarial Threat Report released by Meta Platforms. The comprehensive report highlights the increasing sophistication of online scams, the role of artificial intelligence in enabling fraud, and the challenges posed by international criminal networks operating across social media platforms.
Meta’s findings indicate that criminal scam syndicates most frequently targeted English-speaking users across the United States, followed closely by Indian users. Investigations reveal that these syndicates exploit India’s growing digital economy, affordable internet, and widespread smartphone penetration to reach potential victims through social media messages, phone calls, and messaging apps.
Senior cyber law expert Krishna Grandhi noted that India’s vulnerability is driven by multiple factors: a large pool of potential victims with moderate incomes, extensive digital payment adoption, and relatively low digital literacy.
“The proliferation of inexpensive smartphones and low-cost data has enabled scammers to reach individuals easily, making India a prime target for online fraud,” he said.
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Rise of ‘Digital Arrest’ and AI-Driven Fraud Schemes
A specific scam highlighted in the report is the so-called “digital arrest” fraud, where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officers via phone or video calls to intimidate victims into transferring funds. Advocates Prashant Mali and Grandhi both stressed the urgency of addressing these sophisticated frauds, emphasizing stronger legal and regulatory frameworks to protect Indian users from cross-border cybercrime.
Experts also warned that generative artificial intelligence is increasingly powering next-generation scams. Fraudsters are using AI to create highly realistic fake identities with convincing profile images, detailed backstories, and natural-sounding communication styles.
“Generative AI has lowered the barrier to entry for scammers while increasing the believability of their schemes. It enables multi-turn conversations that reflect cultural nuances, making scams harder to detect,” Grandhi explained.
The report further describes “hyper-personalized” attacks, where AI-generated deepfake videos and synthetic profiles are deployed to evade platform detection systems. These technologies allow cybercriminals to tailor lures to individual users, making it difficult for ordinary internet users to distinguish between genuine accounts and fraudulent ones.
Another concern highlighted is the international scale of scam networks. Many operations targeting Indian users are based in Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. Mali pointed out that these syndicates constantly shift locations and refine their narratives, creating additional challenges for law enforcement due to jurisdictional limitations, fragmented legal frameworks, and the absence of extradition agreements.
Hyper-Personalized Attacks and Deepfake Manipulation
The Meta report also flags the emergence of AI-enabled sexual exploitation tools, including “nudify” applications, which generate explicit images of individuals without their consent. Legal experts called for urgent regulation and technological safeguards to prevent such non-consensual abuse, noting that it constitutes a grave violation of personal dignity.
From a policy perspective, Grandhi urged the government to enhance digital literacy programs and update the IT Act and criminal code to address AI-assisted fraud and synthetic identity theft. Mali recommended ecosystem-wide accountability, from platform operators to advertisers, and suggested that certain organized cybercrime groups could be classified under anti-terror frameworks to facilitate cross-border prosecution.
Cross-Border Scam Networks Complicate Enforcement
Meta’s report also revealed that in 2025, over 10.9 million Facebook and Instagram accounts, 600,000 Facebook Pages, and 112,000 advertising accounts were removed for violations related to fraud, scams, and deceptive practices, reflecting the scale of the problem. Investigators continue to identify emerging scam trends, such as fake rental listings targeting financially vulnerable individuals and fraudulent “funeral livestream” services.
The findings serve as a stark reminder of the evolving cyber-threat landscape in India, underscoring the urgent need for robust legal action, improved digital literacy, and technological measures to protect users from increasingly sophisticated scams.
