A major cyber crime surge has rocked Bhopal after 35 cyber fraud cases were registered across 13 police stations within 24 hours, with total losses crossing ₹1.5 crore. Police officials said cyber criminals are constantly upgrading their methods, combining advanced technology with social engineering to trap victims. The recent spike also follows the launch of the e-Zero FIR system on December 25, 2025, under which the State Cyber Crime Headquarters forwards cyber complaints to local police stations for conversion into regular FIRs, exposing the true scale of cyber offences.
Police data shows 7 cyber cases in Bag Sewania, 6 in Ashoka Garden, 5 in Misrod, 4 in Awadhpuri, 3 in Kolar, 2 each in Kamla Nagar and Piplani and 1 each in Aishbagh, Habibganj, Nishatpura, Shahjehanabad, Bairagarh and Gandhi Nagar. In one cyber fraud case, a 76-year-old man from Bairagarh lost ₹1.14 lakh after responding to a Facebook advertisement offering ₹8 lakh for an old ₹1 note. Cyber fraudsters collected money as processing and service charges before disappearing. Police said cyber scams involving old currency and collectible coins are increasing rapidly.
Several cyber cases involved fake electricity update calls and malicious mobile apps. In Bag Sewania, a victim downloaded an app and paid ₹12 after a caller claimed to update his consumer number, resulting in a cyber theft of ₹2.12 lakh. In another cyber incident, a fraudster posing as an electricity official made a video call and siphoned off ₹3.66 lakh using remote screen-sharing access. Cyber criminals also misused credit card details, leading to losses of ₹1.03 lakh and ₹1.21 lakh in separate cases. In Kamla Nagar, a man lost ₹23 lakh in a cyber investment scam after being shown fake profits in a foreign trading scheme.
Bhopal Police said cyber criminals are using fake social media profiles, WhatsApp malware links, impersonation calls and high-return cyber investment schemes. Stolen money is routed through mule bank accounts across multiple states, complicating cyber investigations. Citizens have been urged to avoid unknown apps, never share OTPs or card details and report any cyber fraud immediately to the 1930 cyber helpline or the national cybercrime portal. Authorities have intensified cyber surveillance and are analysing financial trails to crack down on organised cyber gangs.
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