Cybercrime in India expanded sharply in 2025, with 28.15 lakh cases recorded compared to 22.68 lakh in 2024—an increase of nearly 24%. Despite the rise in cases, total financial losses stood at ₹22,495 crore, slightly lower than ₹22,845 crore the previous year. Ministry of Home Affairs data attributes the marginal decline to real-time fund blocking and coordinated action by banks and law-enforcement agencies.
Notably, even as complaints increased, FIRs fell to 55,484 from 66,370 in 2024. Officials said that in many instances funds are frozen at an early stage, preventing complaints from converting into formal FIRs.
Investment fraud emerges as the biggest threat
A staggering 76% of the total financial loss came from investment-related cyber frauds. These include fake stock trading platforms, Ponzi schemes, crypto traps and Telegram or WhatsApp groups promising “high returns”. Investigators say the lure of quick profits continues to drive victims into these scams, often leading to losses running into lakhs within days.
By volume as well, investment fraud topped the list, accounting for 35% of total cases.
Certified Cyber Crime Investigator Course Launched by Centre for Police Technology
Digital arrest and sextortion also significant
Digital arrest scams were the second-largest contributor to financial losses at 9%. In such cases, fraudsters impersonate officials from agencies like the CBI, ED, customs or police and coerce victims over video calls to transfer money for “verification”.
Sextortion accounted for 4% of losses and 19% of total cases, making it the second-most common cyber offence by number.
Technology making fraud more sophisticated
Investigators say cybercriminals are increasingly using phishing, ransomware, identity theft and social engineering techniques. Multi-layered mule account networks and fake bank profiles enable money to be moved across jurisdictions within minutes.
Institutional capacity strengthened
The Centre has expanded its response framework through the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), which links states, banks and financial institutions. Banks have shared 18.43 lakh suspect identifiers and 24.67 lakh mule accounts, helping prevent fraud worth ₹8,031.56 crore.
Separately, the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System, launched in 2021, has saved ₹7,130 crore across 23.02 lakh complaints by enabling immediate reporting. Dedicated cyber police stations have also increased to 459, up from 169 in 2020, with Uttar Pradesh leading in numbers.
Awareness remains the key gap
The data underscores that while financial damage is being contained to an extent, the scale of cybercrime is widening. Experts point out that the twin triggers of “quick profit” temptation and urgency pressure remain the most effective tools used by fraudsters, highlighting the need for stronger public awareness and faster reporting mechanisms.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
