₹28 Crore Cyber Crime Case Reported in Visakhapatnam within 3 Months

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Visakhapatnam Residents Lose ₹28 Crore to Cyber Frauds in First Quarter of 2026

A recent surge in cybercrime has left residents of Visakhapatnam reeling, with over ₹28 crore in losses reported in the first quarter of 2026.

According to official data, more than 400 complaints related to cyber fraud were filed between January and March, resulting in approximately 60 First Information Reports (FIRs). However, authorities clarified that a single FIR can encompass multiple complaints of a similar nature, explaining the discrepancy between the number of complaints and FIRs.

January accounted for ₹12 crore in losses, while February and March saw cyber frauds totaling over ₹8 crore each. These numbers illustrate the growing scale and sophistication of cybercrime, as well as the increasing effectiveness of fraudsters’ tactics.

Cyber Fraud Trends in Visakhapatnam

Nearly 50% of the total fraud amount was linked to investment-related scams, including fake stock trading platforms, fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes, and high-return investment offers.
About 20% of the total losses were attributed to “digital arrest” scams, in which fraudsters impersonated officials from enforcement or government agencies and contacted victims via video calls.
Victims were not limited to the general public; working professionals and business owners also fell prey to such schemes.

Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Professor Triveni Singh emphasized that modern cybercrime relied heavily on social engineering techniques, exploiting emotions like greed and fear to manipulate individuals into transferring money.

Despite repeated awareness campaigns, people continued to fall into these traps. However, authorities managed to limit financial damage in several cases through timely intervention. If a victim reported the fraud within one hour, there was a higher chance of freezing the transaction and recovering the lost amount.

Prevention Measures

Adopting basic cybersecurity practices, such as using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and regularly monitoring bank transactions, could significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to fraud.
Any scheme promising unusually high returns in a short time should be treated as a red flag.