Archive · 23 Jul 2026
SMS Scams Surge 146% in India
There has been a big increase in scams using text messages in India.
These scams have gone up by 146% in the last year.
Fraudsters are using mobile devices more, especially iPhones and Android phones, to trick people.
They are doing this faster and with more money involved.
Banks and authorities are working together to stop these scams by using special technology to watch how people behave.
This helps them catch scams earlier and stop them quicker.
SMS-based scams in India increased by 146% between the second half of 2025 and the first half of 2026.
Overall mobile fraud sessions rose by 67%, with iOS devices seeing an 86% increase and Android devices a 35% increase.
Web browser-based fraud sessions declined by 10%, indicating a shift towards mobile attack channels.
Fraud sessions are becoming shorter and more automated, with an increase in phone call-based scams.
Banks and authorities are collaborating to detect and prevent fraud using behavioral intelligence and continuous assessment.
- Who
- Fraudsters, Banks, Reserve Bank of India, I4C, Law Enforcement
- What
- Increase in SMS-based scams and mobile fraud
- When
- Between the second half of 2025 and the first half of 2026
- Where
- India
- Why
- Fraudsters are exploiting trusted communication channels and using well-rehearsed social engineering techniques.
Fraudsters
Banks and Authorities
Increase in Fraud
Fraudsters
Fraudsters are exploiting SMS and mobile devices to conduct scams more efficiently and with higher value attempts.
Banks and Authorities
Banks and authorities are collaborating to detect and prevent fraud using behavioral intelligence and continuous assessment.
- Increase in SMS Scams
- 146%
- Overall Mobile Fraud Sessions
- 67%
- Increase in iOS Fraud
- 86%
- Increase in Android Fraud
- 35%
- Decrease in Web Browser Fraud
- 10%
- Increase in Fraud Payment Value
- 35%
- Decrease in Average Call Length
- 31%
- Decrease in Median Fraud Session Length
- 32%