Cybercrimes Rise In Madhya Pradesh, Losses Cross Rs 150 Crores In 2 Years

In September, Shweta Sengar, a housewife from Bhopal, became the victim of a cyber fraud scam. She lost Rs 61,000 while attempting to resolve a minor mobile recharge issue.

Shweta Sengar had mistakenly recharged her husband's Jio SIM instead of her own Airtel number. Seeking a solution, she searched for the customer care number on Google and unknowingly contacted a cybercriminal posing as a support executive. "The man claimed he could help me, but asked me to check my bank balance over the phone and enter my PIN. Within seconds, Rs 61,000 vanished from my account, and an app called iPaar was installed on my phone without my knowledge," Shweta Sengar explained.

The money she lost was her hard-earned savings, set aside for her children's school fees and utility bills. "All my savings are gone, and I don't think I'll get it back," she added.

Shweta Sengar's case highlights the alarming rise in cybercrimes across Madhya Pradesh, as revealed by the state government during the Vidhan Sabha session.

In the ongoing winter session of the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who also has the home portgolio, presented data on the increasing number of cyber frauds in response to a question raised by Congress MLA Pratap Grewal.

Scams such as "digital arrests" and fake customer care calls have become increasingly common, targeting innocent victims who unknowingly share sensitive information.

In 2024, 26 cases of "digital arrest" fraud were reported, where cybercriminals impersonated law enforcement agencies to extort over Rs 12.60 crore. This marks a 130% increase from 2023, when only one case was reported, resulting in a loss of Rs 96,968.

Out of the Rs 12.60 crore extorted in 2024, only Rs 72.38 lakh (5.74%) has been recovered. 38 accused have been arrested so far, most of whom hail from Rajasthan, Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala, and Jammu & Kashmir.

In 2023 and 2024, people in Madhya Pradesh lost over Rs 150 crore to cyber fraud. In 2023 alone, 444 cases were reported, resulting in losses of Rs 44.26 crore. In 2024, the number of cases rose to 521-a 17% increase-with losses skyrocketing to Rs 93.60 crore, marking a 111% surge. Recovery efforts remain a significant challenge. In 2023, Rs 8.71 crore (20% of the total losses) was recovered and returned to victims, while in 2024, only Rs 8.54 crore (9%) has been recovered so far.

Indore remains the worst-hit city, with 184 cases reported in 2023 and 141 cases in 2024. Bhopal, the state capital, reported 53 cases in 2023 and 77 cases in 2024.