According to CID Crime data, every hour a person in Gujarat loses an average of ₹6.06 lakh to investment-related cyber fraud. Between January and September 2025, scammers drained ₹678.71 crore from the state across five major forms of online fraud.
Gujarat logged 1.42 lakh cyber-crime complaints on the national records portal during the nine-month period — roughly 22 every hour. Nearly half of these, about 72,544, came from the major urban centres of Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Gandhinagar.
According to the report, fake-identity scams, OTP-related fraud, card fraud, investment scams and online cheating accounted for most cases. Out of the total complaints, 72,061 fell into these five categories. Fake-identity scams led the list with 27,816 cases and total losses of ₹137.27 crore. Investment and financial frauds, though fewer in number (9,240 cases), inflicted the heaviest damage — ₹397.04 crore, with an average loss exceeding ₹4.3 lakh per case. For other categories like card or OTP fraud, the average loss was below ₹60,000.
Experts said cyber-criminals have now mastered “social engineering” — using psychological manipulation instead of technical hacking. “Fraudsters often impersonate officials, investors or distressed relatives. They sound convincing, and many victims realise the truth only when it’s too late,” a CID officer said. Many targets are elderly or recently retired individuals who tend to trust official-looking messages.
Officials emphasise the importance of quick action. “Reporting within the first 30 minutes is critical,” K. L. N. Rao, DGP CID Crime, said. “If the victim calls the national cyber-crime helpline 1930 promptly, banks can freeze the stolen amount before it is laundered through multiple accounts.”
Many victims hesitate to report incidents due to shame or fear of mockery. “Embarrassment delays reporting, which gives scammers more time to cover their tracks,” a senior officer said. As digital deception becomes more sophisticated, experts urge citizens to remain alert and compassionate. “Cyber-crime isn’t about being foolish; it’s about being human,” an investigator said. “If you fall victim, act fast. The sooner you respond, the better your chances of getting your money back.”
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
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.
