Even as reported cases of digital arrest scams have declined in Karnataka, authorities warn that the threat is far from over. Cybercriminals are adapting their methods, leading to significant financial losses despite fewer incidents.
Recent data from the state Home Ministry shows that cases dropped sharply from 1,129 in 2024 to 345 in 2025, marking a 69.4% decline. In 2023, there were 196 such cases. However, the overall financial impact remains alarming. Victims lost Rs 219 crore in 2024, with an average loss of Rs 19.4 lakh per case. In 2025, total losses stood at Rs 215 crore, but the average loss surged to Rs 62.4 lakh per case.
The trend continues into 2026. By February, 25 cases had already resulted in losses of Rs 11.57 crore, averaging Rs 46.31 lakh per case.
Cybercrime investigators say the rising per-case losses indicate that scammers are becoming more targeted and sophisticated. “The modus operandi has evolved over the last year, as the scammers are now targeting a specific segment of the population, especially the senior citizens, who are much more gullible to succumbing under threats. They are also using recent events like major bomb blasts, terror attacks and significant drug busts as a means to threaten the victims, making them believe that they were genuinely embroiled in a legal case,” a senior Bengaluru Police officer said.
Officials also pointed out that awareness campaigns have weakened over time, giving fraudsters an advantage. “The continuation of the modus operandi can also be attributed to the sudden stoppage of large-scale awareness campaigns. The intensity of the awareness efforts is very low compared to when the cases started blowing up. After the prime minister himself spoke about digital arrest scams in 2024, there was a concerted awareness effort from the Centre and the state, including warning messages before every phone call was connected, periodic text messages warning of the scam, and advertisements in the news and on social media. All that seems to have stopped now,” a senior cybercrime investigator said.
Authorities stressed the urgent need to revive awareness initiatives, especially at the national level, to counter the evolving threat.
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