Indore: Across cybercrime cases, residents lost most of their money to investment fraud as it emerged as the biggest component in such losses in Indore this year. Victims were duped of around Rs 45 crore to schemes promising quick and high returns through trading, cryptocurrency and other investment platforms.Data compiled by the Crime Branch shows that around Rs 60 crore has been lost to frauds in Indore since January 1, 2026, of which nearly Rs 45 crore — 75% — was linked to investment-related frauds. The Crime Branch has received around 5,000 complaints during the period.The scale of the losses mirrors a wider national trend, where investment-related scams have emerged as a major source of financial loss. Crime Branch Additional DCP Rajesh Dandotiya said that the National data for 2025 showed that around 76% of reported fraud losses were linked to investment frauds, involving losses of nearly Rs 15,000 crore, according to the data available.In Indore, the frauds have largely revolved around online trading, cryptocurrency and investment platforms, where victims are initially lured with promises of high returns. In several cases, fraudsters reportedly build confidence by allowing victims to see initial profits or small withdrawals before persuading them to put in larger amounts.The losses are not limited to inexperienced investors. People are being approached through social media platforms, messaging applications and online groups, with fraudsters posing as investment experts, traders or representatives of investment platforms.Despite the scale of the losses, the Crime Branch has managed to recover or return only around 15% of the amount lost by victims, according to the data.Crime Branch Additional DCP Rajesh Dandotiya said the nature of financial fraud had changed significantly, with criminals increasingly exploiting people’s interest in investment and trading.“Investment fraud has become one of the biggest components of cyber financial crime in Indore. Fraudsters are using trading, cryptocurrency and other investment-related schemes to gain the confidence of victims and then induce them to transfer increasingly larger amounts. People should not transfer money merely on the basis of promises of guaranteed or unusually high returns. Any suspicious transaction should be reported immediately, as prompt reporting increases the chances of freezing the money before it moves through multiple accounts.”The data also highlights why the time taken to report a fraud can directly affect the possibility of recovering the money. Once the amount is transferred, it can be rapidly moved between bank accounts, mule accounts and other financial channels, making recovery increasingly difficult.With investment fraud accounting for three-fourths of the total reported fraud losses in Indore this year, the numbers point to a shift in the nature of cybercrime — from conventional phishing and OTP-based frauds to elaborate scams built around the promise of making money.
Click Here For The Original Source.
