In a shocking revelation, citizens lost a staggering Rs 22,845.73 crore to cyber criminals in 2024, a 206% jump from Rs 7,465.18 crore in 2023, Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. According to data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS), operated by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), 36,37,288 financial fraud incidents were reported in 2024, up from 24,42,978 the previous year.
Cyber crime cases have surged consistently, with 10,29,026 incidents in 2022 (127.44% increase), 15,96,493 in 2023 (55.15% rise), and 22,68,346 in 2024 (42.08% increase). The CFCFRMS, launched in 2021 to enable immediate fraud reporting, has saved over Rs 5,489 crore across 17.82 lakh complaints. The government has blocked over 9.42 lakh SIM cards and 2,63,348 IMEIs, as reported by police authorities.
On September 10, 2024, I4C introduced the Suspect Registry, collaborating with banks to share 11 lakh suspect identifiers and 24 lakh mule accounts, saving Rs 4,631 crore. The 'Pratibimb' module, mapping criminal locations, has aided 10,599 arrests and 63,019 investigation requests. State and UT law enforcement agencies handle FIRs, chargesheets, and arrests under legal provisions.
The alarming rise in cyber fraud underscores the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures.
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