TIRUCHY: The city has seen a massive surge in cyber crime, with 4,512 cases registered in the last four years. Scammers have cheated people of Rs 42.71 crore, including Rs 24.52 crore in 2024, as per data shared by the cybercrime unit. Out of the 4,512 cases, 337 cases were reported in 2021. The number skyrocketed to 1,770 in 2024, and 323 cases have been reported in the first few months of 2025.
Sources said in the earlier years, most complaints were about credit/debit card fraud, fake customer care numbers, profile hacking and phishing. But recently, fraudsters have become more creative. The cybercrime police say new scams such as ‘digital arrest’ fraud, stock trading and investment, KYC update fraud, and online part-time jobs are catching many off guard.
Around 40% of cases deal with stock trading and investment and online part-time jobs, with 20% dealing with ‘digital arrest’ and KYC update fraud.
Fraudsters typically make contact via social media platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, or phone calls.
In a digital arrest case reported in 2024, a retired central government employee lost Rs 1.5 crore after she was tricked into believing that her Aadhaar number was linked to some illegal business and she would be arrested unless she paid a ‘fine’.
“While the number of cases related to digital arrest fraud is relatively low, the amount lost is significantly high (nearly Rs 10 crore). Scamsters specifically target elderly individuals. Even educated people fall prey to online part-time jobs promising Rs1,000-3,000 per day. Once they install a fake app or share OTPs, the money is gone,” said P Jaikumar, a sub-inspector in the city’s cybercrime wing.
When compared to the rise in cases, recovery remains a challenge. While residents of the city lost over Rs 10 crore in 2023, only Rs 74 lakh was recovered. In 2024, police retrieved Rs 2.47 crore, which was just a fraction of the Rs 24.52 crore lost. “Most gangs operate from other states or even abroad, and traceability is limited.” Jaikumar added.
“We traced the scammers’ accounts and traveled to their states, but found that the scammers did not use their own accounts. Instead, they used accounts belonging to innocent victims. When we traced the accounts, they led us to people who were unaware that their bank accounts had been misused.”
Jaikumar also said the lack of awareness, people’s desire to earn quick profit, and the rise of remote work have made it easy for scamsters. The cyber crime cell has been conducting awareness programmes in colleges and banks. People are advised to call the helpline 1930 within the first hour of fraud for a chance of recovery.