COIMBATORE: Cyber fraud complaints continue to surge in Coimbatore despite repeated police awareness campaigns. On average, the city and district cyber crime police wings together receive more than 55 new complaints every day, indicating that residents are increasingly falling prey to online scams.
The city cyber crime wing has registered around 6,000 cybercrime-related complaints so far this year, averaging about 35 fresh cases daily. The Coimbatore district cyber crime wing receives roughly 20 complaints each day. Officials noted that investment-related frauds form the bulk of these cases. In 2025, the city wing handled nearly 10,000 complaints, up from about 9,500 in 2024.
Fraudsters typically target working professionals by promising unusually high returns on investments. They also swindle money by sending malicious links through social media platforms, particularly WhatsApp and Instagram, that allow them to access victims' bank accounts.
Police acknowledge that tracing the actual perpetrators remains difficult in most cases. Their primary success lies in freezing whatever funds remain in the accounts used by the fraudsters once a complaint is lodged.
In the district, the most frequently reported offences include investment frauds, matrimonial scams, "digital arrest" frauds targeting elderly citizens, and rental-house scams. Investment frauds often follow a "task-based" modus operandi, which accounts for roughly 30%of such cases.
Scammers first approach victims through social media and assign simple tasks such as writing online reviews for businesses. After the victims receive small initial payments, the fraudsters urge them to invest larger sums, promising daily returns of up to Rs 5,000 or monthly above Rs 60,000.
Another common method involves matrimonial websites. Scammers extract details of unmarried men aged above 35 and contact them while posing as prospective brides. Using artificial intelligence tools, they engage in prolonged chats and even video calls. Once trust is established, they persuade the victims to invest in purported trading platforms. Three recent cases in the district illustrate the scale of losses — one businessman was defrauded of Rs 40 lakh and a salaried employee lost Rs 10 lakh.
Police officials point out that many victims approach them only days or even weeks after realising they have been cheated. By then, the scammers have usually withdrawn the entire amount. Complaints are particularly high from residents of Sulur, Pollachi and Kovilpalayam as the area covers more working class people who have settled from various places.
The officials urge the public to verify any investment offers thoroughly, avoid clicking on unsolicited links and report suspicious activity immediately to minimise losses.