Cyber Fraudsters On Prowl In Indore, Dupe 4.5K People Of ₹40 Crore In 6 Months

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Despite several awareness campaigns being run by the police and cyber cell officials, cyber fraudsters managed to dupe over 4,500 people across the city, swindling approximately Rs 40 crore in the last six months. The fraudsters used various tactics to trap people to steal their money.

The most common methods used by scammers to dupe people is by posing as police and CBI officers and keeping the people digitally arrested for several days, fake investment apps, loan apps, fake job offers, and social media fraud.

According to reports, in 2024, about Rs 80 crore were duped from about 5,000 people. In the current year, the number of complaints has also reached close to the total number of complaints registered last year. However, the police claim that the recovery rate in comparison to last year has increased this year.

Additional DCP (crime) Rajesh Dandotiya informed Free Press that Rs 5.80 crore was recovered last year while in just 6 months of the current year, Rs 6.33 crore has been recovered from conmen from different parts of the city.

Over 50 held for providing bank accounts to conmen

Dandotiya said that investigations are underway to identify and arrest more online scammers. So far, over 100 accused have been arrested from across the country.

Also, more than 50 accused were those who had provided their own bank accounts and of other people to the conmen to receive money through fraud. The accused, who provided the bank accounts to the scammers, are from the city and other states.

How do cyber fraudsters target people?

Cyber fraudsters usually approach people via social media, email, or mobile messages, luring them with tempting offers or links. Once a person clicks the link or downloads an app, their personal data and banking details are accessed by the fraudsters. In some cases, scammers have impersonated police officers, bank employees, or government officials to deceive victims. Many of these criminals operate from abroad, using VOIP calls, fake websites, and foreign bank accounts to remain untraceable. The crime branch and cyber cell have recently arrested several key members of these fraud networks from cities like Ajmer, Delhi and other cities. Police said the fraudsters use fake Aadhaar cards, SIM cards, and bank accounts, making them difficult to trace.

High-Profile cases reported in Indore:

• In January 2025, a doctor fell victim to online fraud and lost Rs 3.08 crore. As per reports, a woman contacted him through a social media platform and duped him on the pretext of a good return on investment through her company.

• In October 2024, a woman was duped of Rs 46 lakh by conmen, who posed as police and CBI officers and kept her digitally arrested for five days. The online scammers told the woman that someone misused her bank account for terrorist activities and money laundering and they put her under digital arrest.

• In November 2024, a 50-year-old businesswoman was duped of Rs 1.6 crore by conmen who posed as ED officials. She was “digitally arrested” for three days.

• Recently, a cricket player from the Lasudia area of the city was duped of Rs 12.90 by a man from UP on the pretext of his selection for the Ranji Trophy and the IPL. 

Published on: Monday, July 21, 2025, 09:03 AM IST