4 hrs ago
Vizag Cybercrime Falls 60%, But Financial Fraud Remains High
Cybercrime means using phones or computers to trick people and steal money.
In Visakhapatnam, police said the amount stolen this year was much lower than in the previous two years.
They reported losses of ₹45 crore between January and August 2026.
Police also recovered more than ₹32 crore from suspected criminals’ accounts.
Officers said they used awareness videos and other measures to help reduce fraud.
However, many people still reported cybercrime, with more than 1,000 complaints recorded.
In one August case, over 30 people lost more than ₹60 lakh in a fake investment scheme.
Police warned people to be careful with unknown links, calls and investment promises.
Senior citizens were described as especially vulnerable to digital-arrest scams.
Police reported ₹45 crore in cybercrime losses in Visakhapatnam from January 1 to August 31, 2026, compared with ₹121 crore in 2025 and ₹104 crore in 2024.
Cybercrime officials said more than ₹32 crore was recovered from criminals’ accounts this year, calling it the highest recovery in the state.
About 140 FIRs were registered from more than 1,000 complaints received by Vizag’s cybercrime police station during the first eight months of 2026.
More than 30 Vizag residents lost over ₹60 lakh in August through a fake online IPO and stock-trading scheme promoted on social media.
Police said investment, task-based, digital-arrest, loan-app, impersonation and cryptocurrency-related frauds remained major threats.
- Who
- Visakhapatnam residents, cybercrime police officials, Commissioner Sankabrata Bagchi and Inspector K Bhavani Prasad.
- What
- Reported cybercrime losses fell to ₹45 crore, while police recovered more than ₹32 crore and continued to warn about multiple types of online fraud.
- Where
- Visakhapatnam, with awareness videos also screened across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and some other parts of the country.
- When
- January 1 through August 31, 2026; one investment-fraud incident occurred in August.
- Why
- Police attributed the reduction to proactive measures, including public-awareness videos, while financial fraud continued to be driven by scams involving investments, digital arrests and other online schemes.
Police Reduction Claims
Continuing Cybercrime Concerns
Whether the situation is improving
Police Reduction Claims
Police said cybercrime losses fell by 60% compared with the previous two years and credited proactive measures, including awareness videos and improved recovery efforts.
Continuing Cybercrime Concerns
Cybercrime officials acknowledged that the level remained high, with more than 1,000 complaints and major financial scams still affecting residents.
Effectiveness of recovery efforts
Police Reduction Claims
Police said they recovered more than ₹32 crore and described the recovery as the highest in the state.
Continuing Cybercrime Concerns
Authorities noted that recovery of stolen property in financial cybercrime cases linked to Southeast Asia remained extremely low.
Who remains at risk
Police Reduction Claims
Police awareness campaigns were intended to warn the public about suspicious calls, investment offers and unknown digital links.
Continuing Cybercrime Concerns
Working professionals were still targeted by investment scams, while senior citizens faced an increasing threat from digital-arrest frauds.
Key facts
- Reported losses in 2026
- ₹45 crore from January 1 to August 31
- Reported losses in 2025
- ₹121 crore
- Reported losses in 2024
- ₹104 crore
- Amount recovered
- More than ₹32 crore from criminals’ accounts in 2026
- Complaints and FIRs
- More than 1,000 complaints resulted in about 140 FIRs
- August investment scam
- More than 30 people lost over ₹60 lakh
- Awareness campaign
- More than 25 short films and videos were produced at a cost of ₹30 lakh
Quotes
K Bhavani Prasad
Inspector of the Visakhapatnam cyber wing
“We have produced more than 25 short films and videos using film stars and prominent personalities, by spending `30 lakh and screened these in movie halls and public places. These films are shown all over AP, Telangana and some parts of the country.”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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