Cybercrime spike at 42%; Govt blocks 11.14 lakh SIMs and 2.96 lakh IMEIs; Suspect Registry flags 24.67 lakh mule accounts, prevents fraudulent transactions worth ₹8,031 crore
New Delhi – India reported an unprecedented surge in cybercrime incidents in 2024, marking one of the steepest annual increases in digital offences recorded so far. According to data tabled in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, a staggering 22.68 lakh cybercrime complaints were registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) last year—an alarming 42.08% jump compared to 2023.
The financial impact was equally severe. Citizens across the country lost ₹22,845.73 crore to cyber criminals in 2024 alone, reflecting the growing sophistication and scale of digital fraud networks targeting India’s rapidly expanding internet ecosystem.
CFCFRMS Prevented Losses of Over ₹7,130 Crore
The Minister highlighted the significant role of the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS)—the emergency cyber-fraud reporting mechanism launched in 2021.
Since its rollout, the platform has helped save over ₹7,130 crore by facilitating rapid freezing of accounts and blocking of fraudulent transactions across 23.02 lakh complaints. Officials say the system has substantially improved the response time between victims, banks, and law enforcement agencies.
Massive Crackdown on SIM Cards, IMEIs and Mule Accounts
In a bid to curb digital fraud infrastructure, the Government of India has taken large-scale action against suspicious telecom and device identifiers. As per Ministry data:
- 11.14 lakh SIM cards have been blocked,
- along with 2.96 lakh IMEI numbers,
- following verification by state police units and intelligence agencies.
The government has also intensified action against mule accounts—bank accounts used by cybercriminals to route stolen money. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) launched a nation-wide Suspect Registry on September 10, 2024, enabling banks and financial institutions to share suspicious identifiers in real time.
Till date, the registry has received:
- 18.43 lakh suspect identifiers from banks,
- 24.67 lakh Layer-1 mule accounts,
- and has successfully prevented ₹8,031.56 crore worth of fraudulent transactions.
‘Pratibimb’ Technology Aiding Arrests Across the Country
The Minister also highlighted the impact of ‘Pratibimb’, an I4C-developed geospatial module that maps cybercriminal hotspots and fraud infrastructure on a digital map.
The tool has assisted police forces in the arrest of 16,840 accused persons, significantly strengthening the on-ground enforcement capacity against fast-moving cybercrime syndicates.
Previous Years Show Sharp Upward Trend
The Ministry’s data reveals a multi-year upward trajectory:
2023:
- 15.96 lakh cybercrime cases,
- up 55.15% from 2022,
- ₹7,465.18 crore lost.
2022:
- lower volume compared to the following years,
- but marked the beginning of India’s steep cybercrime escalation.
Officials say the rapid growth of digital payments, online services, and smartphone penetration—combined with social engineering, phishing, investment scams and sextortion—has created a highly vulnerable ecosystem.
India Faces a Critical Cybersecurity Moment
Experts believe the sharp rise in cyber offences underscores a massive structural challenge: a large digital population with limited cyber literacy, overlapping with transnational fraud networks operating from beyond India’s borders.
Government agencies argue that recent technological interventions—such as the Suspect Registry, AI-enabled monitoring tools, and telecom-level blocking of suspicious identifiers—are starting to yield measurable results.
However, cybersecurity researchers warn that unless:
- uniform protocols across banks are enforced,
- telecom verification is strengthened,
- consumer awareness increases dramatically,
- and international cooperation deepens,
India’s cybercrime burden could escalate further in the next few years.
