Archive · 16 Sep 2025
Indian Banks Shift Focus From Deposits Amidst Fraud Concerns
Banks in India are changing their priorities.
They used to really want people to deposit money, but now they're more focused on giving out loans.
This is because of a rise in online fraud, where criminals use fake accounts to move money around.
These fake accounts are often dormant, but get used for suspicious transactions.
This has led to banks becoming more cautious about deposits.
Banks are now trying to improve security to stop this fraud and are investing in new technology.
Banks are prioritizing lending over deposits due to rising digital fraud and account misuse.
Mule accounts, used for fraudulent transactions, are a major concern.
The CBI is investigating the misuse of such accounts across numerous bank branches.
Deposit growth has slowed, while non-food credit growth has also declined.
Banks are investing in technology and measures to combat fraud and improve security.
- Who
- Banks, cybercriminals, and customers.
- What
- Increased risk of digital fraud, and misuse of accounts (mule accounts).
- When
- Recent developments
- Where
- Across India, affecting various bank branches.
- Why
- Due to digital fraud, and fund diversion, leading to concerns about the security of deposit accounts.
Banks
Customers
Security
Banks
Banks prioritize enhanced digital security measures and robust KYC processes to combat fraud and protect customers.
Customers
Customers want secure banking services with easy accessibility and convenience.
- Issue
- Rising digital fraud and mule accounts
- Mule Accounts
- Accounts used for fraudulent fund transfers
- CBI Investigation
- Probing mule accounts across 700+ bank branches
- Deposit Growth (Aug)
- 10.2% year-on-year
- Non-food Credit Growth (Aug)
- 9.9% year-on-year
- RBI Actions
- Requesting banks to measure operations resilience
Sources
Amid new measures by RBI, MHA, fear overpowers awareness campaigns, safety nets as ‘digital arrests’ tighten grip
Man loses ₹3 lakh to credit card fraud, follow these 5 tips to stay cautious