NEW DELHI: Cyber fraudsters have duped Delhi residents of nearly Rs 1,000 crore so far this year, with investment scams, digital arrests and boss scams emerging as the most common cybercrimes, official data shows.
In 2024, victims in the national capital collectively lost around Rs 1,100 crore, of which around 10 per cent of the amount was successfully put on hold in bank accounts which are to be recovered following court orders, police said.
This year, the Delhi Police, in coordination with banks, have managed to hold nearly 20 per cent of the defrauded funds—almost double the figure from 2024—marking a significant improvement in curbing losses. “We urge people to report cybercrimes immediately on the helpline number 1930. Once a victim reports the crime and provides transaction details, we initiate the lien marking process to put on hold the fraudulent funds,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations) Vinit Kumar said.
Kumar said that 24 dedicated helplines operate round the clock to assist victims in registering complaints and addressing queries related to cybercrimes. Banks then trace the movement of funds and, if the money remains within the banking system, place it on hold. The amount can later be refunded to the victim once a court orders its release, officials said.
According to the police, investment scams, digital arrest and boss scams have been the most prevalent and high-value frauds in 2025. In investment scams, fraudsters, often posing as women on social media, lure victims to join online groups promising lucrative returns. After showing fake profits on small initial investments, they persuade victims to invest larger sums running into lakhs or crores of rupees.
“These fraudsters often operate from Southeast Asian countries, such as Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, where large-scale ‘scam compounds’ run by Chinese handlers target people worldwide,” Kumar added. Fraudsters based in India help facilitate these scams by providing mule bank accounts and SIM cards used to launder stolen funds.
The digital arrest scam involves fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officials to extort money from victims using fear and intimidation. The scammers call victims pretending to be from the police, the Central Bureau of Investigation or courier agencies, claiming that their bank account or parcel is linked to crimes, such as terrorism, money laundering or cybercrime. Using spoofed numbers, fake documents and doctored videos, they coerce victims into transferring money as a “fine” or “security deposit”.
The boss scam targets corporate employees by impersonating company executives. Fraudsters typically put a picture of a company’s higher officials on their social media profile and send urgent messages or payment requests to employees, who are in the finance department. Believing the communication to be legitimate, employees often transfer funds, share gift card codes or reveal sensitive information. “The messages appear authentic, because they come from verified-looking official IDs or numbers. That is what makes these scams particularly dangerous,” the DCP said.
