Women are becoming primary targets in a disturbing rise of cybercrimes, police data reveals. Over the past few months, 1,130 cybercrime cases involving women have been reported across categories such as harassment, blackmail, identity theft, and financial fraud. Loan app scams have emerged as a particularly dangerous threat, exploiting victims by misusing personal data for extortion.
According to police, 59 cases of loan app fraud were registered until March 2025. While there were 252 similar cases in 2023, a decline to 14 cases in the first quarter of 2024 indicates that although numbers seem to be reducing, the severity and sophistication of such scams are increasing. Women, especially from middle-class backgrounds, have become prime targets due to their vulnerability and limited digital safety awareness.
Loan Apps as Tools for Digital Extortion
A recent alarming case involved a woman who unknowingly became a victim after downloading a loan app called Score Climb from the Google Play Store. Although she never applied for a loan, the app secretly accessed her phone data, including identification documents and contact lists. Within days, she was bombarded with extortionate demands for ₹1,500 and horrifying threats to distribute morphed nude images to her contacts.
Cybersecurity experts warn that these apps disguise themselves as quick loan services but operate sophisticated data-harvesting systems aimed at blackmail.
“These criminals thrive on fear and emotional vulnerability,” explained Dr. Harsha Thennarasu, Chief Cyber Security Advisor. “Victims are often coerced into submission under personal threats. Contrary to belief, it’s not always tech-savvy individuals but common citizens, including senior citizens and middle-class women, who fall prey to these tactics.”
Dr. Thennarasu also detailed the modus operandi: users are lured with promises of instant cash against minimal documentation. Post installation, they are tricked into granting app permissions, giving fraudsters full access to contacts, images, and personal files. Scammers sometimes deposit a nominal amount to feign authenticity before launching a harassment campaign.
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Response and How to Stay Safe
In response to the surge in cyber fraud cases, regulatory bodies such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) took decisive action. In 2024, they ordered Google to remove fraudulent loan apps from its Play Store, resulting in the takedown of over 2,200 such apps. Prior to this, between April 2021 and July 2022, Google had already suspended more than 2,500 fake loan apps, and another 2,200 were removed between September 2022 and August 2023.
Despite these efforts, the threat remains high. Dr. Thennarasu warns users not to install applications through web browsers or unofficial sources, even if they appear trustworthy. He advises sticking to verified apps from reputable developers available on official platforms like Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
Tips to Stay Safe:
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Verify before installing any app. Read reviews and check publisher details.
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Never grant unnecessary permissions, especially access to contacts and gallery.
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Report suspicious apps immediately to cybercrime portals.
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Install security software to detect and block malicious apps.
As cybercriminals become more sophisticated, public awareness and cautious digital behavior have become the most effective first lines of defense against such threats.