In 2025, cybercriminals duped Delhi residents of nearly Rs 1,000 crore through investment scams, “digital arrest” ploys and boss impersonation frauds. Delhi Police has managed to freeze about 20% of the defrauded funds for possible recovery.
Delhi has seen a sharp surge in cyber fraud losses in 2025, with nearly Rs 1,000 crore stolen from residents, according to official police data. In 2024, the losses in the national capital stood at around Rs 1,100 crore, of which approximately 10% was successfully put on hold and is in the process of recovery. This year, law enforcement and banks have improved their response: nearly 20% of the defrauded amount has already been frozen, nearly double the previous year’s share.
The Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit of Delhi Police, which acts as the principal cybercrime wing, has emphasised swift action after complaints, once transaction details are provided, lien orders are issued to block movement of those funds.
Common fraud types: How scammers operate Investment scams
These are among the most frequent and high-value frauds. Fraudsters, often posing as investors or financial advisors, lure victims through social media, fake groups, and bogus platforms. They may show small ‘profits’ initially to build trust, then push victims to invest larger sums. Many such operations are orchestrated from countries like Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, with local actors in India providing mule accounts and SIM cards for laundering.
In a recent Delhi case, seven people were arrested across four states for running a fake online trading platform. The victim had invested Rs 22 lakh before being blocked from withdrawing funds.
Digital arrest scams
In this ruthless ruse, fraudsters impersonate law enforcement, court officials or judicial bodies to extort money. They call the victim, claiming their bank account or parcel is implicated in serious crimes like money laundering or terrorism. To add authority, they present fake court orders, forged documents or doctored video calls. Under fear, victims comply and transfer money thinking it will be refunded later.
The Supreme Court has recently taken suo motu cognisance of the rising wave of digital arrest scams after reports that criminals forged Supreme Court orders to extort over Rs 1 crore from a victim.
Boss impersonation (‘boss scam’)
This scam targets corporate employees, usually in finance or accounts divisions. Fraudsters impersonate high-level executives and send urgent payment instructions or requests. Because the messages appear to come from legitimate or verified-looking IDs, employees often obey without verifying, leading to large fund transfers or credential theft.
Other variants include remote access fraud (encouraging victims to click links or install apps) that grant control over their devices, OTP theft, account takeover, and social engineering.
Better fund recovery, but still a long way to go
The increase in the percentage of frozen funds, from about 10% in 2024 to nearly 20 % in 2025, is a notable improvement. As soon as a victim files a complaint and furnishes transaction details, police issue a lien (freeze) order to block the movement of those funds. If the funds remain in the formal banking system, they can be released back to victims once courts order it.
However, many fraudsters move money swiftly through multiple accounts, convert it into cryptocurrency, or shift it across borders, making recovery complex. In one operation, Delhi Police busted a Cambodia-linked fraud ring that diverted funds abroad through crypto routes.
Also, local complicity, for example, mule account holders or facilitators within India, adds a layer of challenge to tracing and freezing funds.
Institutional response and judicial action
The Supreme Court has alarmed at reports of forged judicial orders, impersonations of courts and misuse of authority in digital arrest scams. The bench described such acts as an assault on the institution of justice itself, and has issued notices to the Centre, the CBI and state agencies to take coordinated action.
In Delhi, multiple helplines (24 in all) operate around the clock to guide victims in filing complaints and initiating the lien-marking process. The police also urge banks to act quickly to trace and block scam funds.
At a national level, new platforms such as Bharatpol (launched in January 2025) aim to improve coordination between Indian and international law enforcement agencies.
Tips and precautions for citizens
To reduce vulnerability to these frauds, authorities have issued the following advice:
- Report immediately! Use helpline 1930 to register a complaint and provide transaction details.
- Do not join dubious investment groups or trust unsolicited financial advice on social media.
- Avoid downloading unknown .apk files or apps from untrusted sources, which may carry malware.
- Verify unusual requests from supposed executives or authorities by calling known official numbers or meeting in person.
- Stay sceptical of intimidating calls or messages claiming legal or police action without formal documents.
- Guard OTPs, transaction PINs, and device security; do not share them over calls or messages.
- Spread awareness, especially among senior citizens and non-tech users, about the modus operandi of such scams.
Educators, NGOs and cybersecurity groups are also promoting digital literacy, and innovative interventions like game-based training to inoculate users against scam tactics.
Outlook and challenges ahead
Even though freezing 20% of losses is an improvement, the remaining 80 % lost funds often vanish into complex cross-border networks, cryptocurrencies or mule accounts. Full recovery remains elusive.
The evolving sophistication of fraudsters, using AI, deepfakes, spoofed video calls, forged judicial documents, poses fresh challenges. The recent Supreme Court intervention signals urgency, but it demands consistent collaboration across central, state, banking and tech sectors.
Ultimately, public vigilance, rapid reporting and institutional agility will determine the success in curbing this rising threat.
(With inputs from agencies)