Indians have faced significant financial losses due to fraud and cheating, totaling over Rs 52,976 crore in the last six years. Maharashtra reported the highest monetary losses in such cases. In 2025 alone, losses amounted to about Rs 19,813 crore with 2,177,524 cheating-related complaints registered.
The data compiled by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal revealed that in 2024, losses stood at Rs 22,849.49 crore with 1,918,852 complaints. The increasing trend in financial crimes like investment traps, online scams, and banking frauds is concerning, as smaller sums were recorded in previous years.
Experts attribute this surge in financial crimes to the rapid digitization, the rise in online transactions, and the growing sophistication of scam networks. Maharashtra reported the highest monetary losses from cheating cases in the previous year, amounting to Rs 3,203 crore with 2,833,20 complaints. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu followed with significant losses and complaints.
The top five states with substantial financial losses from cheating cases include Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana. Out of the total losses in 2025, a significant portion was lost in investment schemes, digital arrest, credit card fraud, sextortion, e-commerce fraud, and app/malware-based fraud, as per the data.
The Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS) data highlighted around 21 crore cyber fraud complaints in 2025, with a notable percentage originating from Southeast Asian countries. The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal aims to empower citizens to report cybercrimes, particularly those targeting women and children, with a dedicated helpline number, 1930, offering immediate assistance to victims of online financial frauds.
