Cybercrime cases involving investment scams and digital arrest scams are witnessing a sharp rise in Tamil Nadu, according to recent data.
Investment scams are one of the most common online frauds, where victims are tricked into putting money into fake or misleading opportunities. Fraudsters often lure people with promises of extremely high returns, sometimes claiming profits of over 100 times the original investment, which is practically impossible.
These scams take many forms, including stock market fraud, online trading and forex scams, WhatsApp trading groups, matrimonial investment traps, multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes, and cryptocurrency frauds.
Data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) shows the steep rise. Between January and August 2024, 11,024 cases of investment scams were reported, while the same period in 2025 recorded 13,287 cases.
Digital arrest scams have also seen an increase, becoming the second most reported type of cyber fraud. In these cases, scammers pose as officials from the police or cybercrime units, often using phone or video calls to intimidate victims. They threaten false legal consequences and pressure victims to transfer money. Between January and August 2024, 2,762 such cases were reported, rising to 4,439 in 2025.
Additional Director General of Police, Cyber Crime Wing, Sandeep Mittal, explained, “Analysis of reported cases reveal that undue desire and greed to make quick money in a short time obfuscates rational thinking and common sense resulting in loss of huge sums. As the money is transferred over a period, the entire money quickly exits the banking ecosystem, coupled with late reporting, thus making it impossible to recover the lost money. Tamil Nadu Police has flagged the issue with various stakeholders for devising technological solutions to the issues.”
Initially, many victims were hesitant to report cases due to lack of awareness. With efforts to promote reporting and ensure confidentiality, more people are now coming forward through the helpline 1930 and the NCRP portal.
Currently, the 1930 Control Room handles between 1,600 and 1,800 calls daily, compared to 600 to 800 calls in 2024. Officials say the steady rise in complaints from 2022 to 2025 shows increasing public trust and awareness. They expect this trend will eventually stabilise as awareness reaches more people.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News LinkedIn Account | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Facebook | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Youtube | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Twitter |The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Whatsapp Channel | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Instagram
About us:
The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News is a premier platform dedicated to delivering latest news, updates, and insights from the tech industry. With its strong foundation of intellectual property and thought leadership, the platform is well-positioned to stay ahead of the curve and lead conversations about how technology shapes our world. From its early days as CIO News to its rebranding as The Mainstream on November 28, 2024, it has been expanding its global reach, targeting key markets in the Middle East & Africa, ASEAN, the USA, and the UK. The Mainstream is a vision to put technology at the center of every conversation, inspiring professionals and organizations to embrace the future of tech.
