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India’s top cities are facing a surge in sophisticated cyber scams, with more than 30,000 investors losing over Rs 1,500 crore in the past six months. A report from the Ministry of Home Affairs’ cyber wing highlights Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Hyderabad as the worst-hit regions, accounting for nearly 65% of all reported cases. Authorities warn that urban investors, particularly those with disposable incomes and working-age professionals, are prime targets for these complex schemes.

Bengaluru Leads In Financial Losses

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) reveals that Bengaluru alone represents over a quarter of the total financial losses, underscoring the city’s vulnerability to online fraud. Victims aged between 30 and 60 make up more than 76% of all cases, indicating that scammers are strategically targeting individuals in their prime earning years.

Senior citizens are not spared either, with around 2,829 people over 60 affected. The average financial loss per victim is alarmingly high at Rs 51.38 lakh, demonstrating the scale and sophistication of these investment scams. In Delhi, per capita losses are even higher, with each victim losing an average of Rs 8 lakh.

Messaging Apps And Hidden Platforms Fuel Scams

Scammers are exploiting informal, encrypted channels to operate undetected. Messaging apps such as Telegram and WhatsApp account for roughly 20% of all reported cases, providing cybercriminals with the ability to create large investor groups and disappear after collecting funds. By contrast, professional networks like LinkedIn and Twitter see minimal usage for scams, representing just 0.31% of cases. Meanwhile, 41.87% of incidents are classified under “other platforms,” showing that fraudsters are increasingly leveraging less-monitored apps and websites to deceive unsuspecting investors.

Authorities also warn that these networks are often linked to foreign syndicates, using fake trading apps, Ponzi schemes, and job-linked investment platforms. The Ministry of Home Affairs and I4C are actively investigating the cases while working with state cyber units to trace funds and improve investor awareness across India.