Patna: Bihar’s Cyber Crime and Security Unit (CCSU) has launched an aggressive crackdown on rising cyber crime across the state, leading to the arrest of 602 cyber criminals during the first four months of 2026. Authorities also revealed that cyber financial fraud cases involving nearly ₹199.09 crore were investigated during the same period. Officials claimed that timely intervention helped freeze around ₹51.84 crore, while approximately ₹7.06 crore was successfully refunded to victims.
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Cyber Complaints Surge as Fraud Networks Expand
According to the state police headquarters, cyber crime has now emerged as one of Bihar’s most serious law-and-order challenges. Criminals are increasingly using digital arrest scams, fake investment schemes, fraudulent banking calls, UPI frauds, social media scams, remote access applications and fake KYC update requests to target citizens. Investigators said cyber gangs are now combining advanced technology with large-scale social engineering tactics to trap victims.
Officials stated that between January and April 2026, Bihar registered a total of 59,579 cyber financial fraud complaints. As a result, the state has now ranked fourth in the country in terms of online cyber complaints and FIR registrations. Police said many fraudsters operated through fake investment platforms, Telegram channels, WhatsApp links and counterfeit customer care numbers to deceive people.
Mule Accounts and Suspicious Bank Branches Under Scanner
The CCSU investigation has so far identified 5,035 mule bank accounts allegedly used by cyber criminals to transfer and conceal stolen money. Police officials said these accounts played a crucial role in laundering fraud proceeds and hiding the actual source of transactions. Investigators have also identified 22 bank branches where unusually high numbers of suspicious accounts were opened. Authorities are now examining the possible involvement of bank employees and other facilitators connected to these accounts.
Technical surveillance measures have also been intensified as part of the statewide cyber crime crackdown. Officials confirmed that 4,147 mobile numbers and 638 IMEI numbers linked to suspected cyber fraud activities have already been blocked. Investigators said several cyber gangs were using fake SIM cards, cloned mobile devices and digital wallet networks to conceal their identities while carrying out online fraud.
Police authorities warned that cyber criminals are no longer targeting only metropolitan cities and are now increasingly focusing on smaller towns and rural regions. In many cases, victims received calls from fraudsters posing as government officials, bank executives, police personnel or investment advisers. Victims were then manipulated through fear tactics, fake legal threats or promises of quick financial returns. In several incidents, people were persuaded to install screen-sharing applications, allowing criminals to gain remote access to banking information and transfer funds illegally.
Helpline and Banking Coordination Help Freeze Fraud Money
The state’s cyber helpline 1930 has emerged as a key operational tool in tackling online financial fraud. Officials said that after the implementation of the IVRS system earlier this year, the helpline has been receiving an average of 8,100 calls daily, compared to nearly 5,500 calls earlier. Authorities stated that complaints received within the first few hours of fraud often enabled police and banks to freeze suspicious transactions before the money was fully withdrawn or routed through multiple accounts.
Renowned cyber crime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said social engineering has become the most powerful weapon used by cyber criminals today. According to him, fraudsters exploit fear, greed and the desire for quick profits to manipulate victims psychologically before carrying out financial fraud. He added that strict monitoring of mule account networks, fake digital identities and interstate banking trails would be essential to effectively combat the growing cyber crime threat.
At present, Bihar Police, CCSU and banking agencies are jointly investigating cyber fraud syndicates, suspicious bank accounts, digital devices and financial transaction trails linked to these operations. Officials indicated that more large-scale operations against organised cyber gangs are likely in the coming months as the state intensifies its digital crime enforcement strategy.
