Halfway through 2025, Karnataka recorded 7,293 cybercrime cases, at least 2,000 fewer than during the same period in 2024 and the year before, according to State Crime Records reviewed by The Hindu.
For the past two years, the State had logged no fewer than 9,000 cases by June-end, with the figure climbing to about 12,000 by August. This year, the State has recorded 7,293 cases, with Bengaluru city accounting for 73.4% of the total numbers.
While the numbers show a steep decline, investigators attribute this to an evolving cybercrime landscape rather than a real drop in offences. Cybercrimes are becoming more sophisticated, they said.
A senior officer at the Cyber Economics and Narcotics (CEN) police station, explaining the shift, said traditionally, phishing and OTP frauds dominated, which are simple scams requiring little skill. “In such cases, there was limited scope for siphoning off large sums, so fraudsters had to repeat the same modus operandi multiple times to earn significant amounts. This repetition meant more cases. Now, the pattern has changed, leading to fewer reported offences,” the officer said.
As public awareness grew, these scams declined, forcing fraudsters to devise more advanced methods. “This is where courier scams and investment scams emerged. These not only caused victims to lose large amounts but also marked a paradigm shift in cybercrime operations,” the officer added.
While phishing or OTP fraud might require at least 10 successful attempts to earn over ₹1 lakh, a single courier scam could bring in the same amount. This shift began in 2023, but case numbers then stayed high because smaller scams like phishing persisted.
“There were hubs like Jamtara where fraudsters lacked advanced technology but relied on traditional schemes. Now, bigger players have wider networks and run far more sophisticated operations,” the officer said.
In simple terms, fraudsters are making larger profits from fewer crimes.
Changing landscape
Akshay Hakay Machhindra, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Central, who earlier headed the Cyber Crime Police Station in the Bengaluru Commissioner’s office, said season-specific scams are on the rise, while traditional methods continue to adapt. “With many pilgrims travelling across States, we’re seeing a spike in cybercrimes involving fake tour packages, hotel bookings, and transport services. This is an example of a season-specific crime,” he said.
Mr. Machhindra noted that several well-known scams are being tweaked rather than discarded. For example, the once-prevalent courier scam declined as awareness grew. Fraudsters adapted it by using different courier names or adding fabricated ‘money laundering’ allegations, while keeping the core method intact.
Similarly, scammers are targeting financial institutions and start-ups through spoofed emails (fake messages made to appear legitimate). “Email spoofing not only helps fraudsters steal money, but also supports hacking attempts. Hackers carefully choose vulnerable targets before sending these emails,” said a cybercrime investigator from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
“They study a company’s operations and look for exploitable gaps. For example, if a part-time worker has access to certain operations, hackers may target that employee to reach the organisation,” the officer explained. In one such case, hackers recently attacked a cryptocurrency exchange in Whitefield, causing losses of ₹356 crore.
While such trends are accelerating, investigators are struggling to keep pace. The CID officer opined that methods will only grow more complex, with future cyberattacks likely to be even more targeted and well-focused.
“We have a Cyber Command Unit to tackle cybercrime, but it didn’t get off to a strong start due to budget constraints. If it gains momentum, there’s a high chance the state police’s approach will see a paradigm shift,” the officer said, urging government investment in the CCU.
Reasons
Experts highlight three major reasons behind the evolving nature of these offences. Shivaling Salakki, programme manager at the Centre of Excellence in Cybersecurity by the Government of Karnataka (CySecK), said, “The lack of technical expertise among investigators impacts the process in several ways, including delays in investigation, which in turn results in a poor conviction rate. A low conviction rate works to the advantage of fraudsters, who remain unbothered about being caught and continue deceiving people from behind their screens. The only area of focus for them is to keep improving their methods by adopting new techniques.”
Mr. Salakki further observed that while awareness campaigns do exist, they lack a layered approach. He believes such an approach can only be developed with greater financial commitment to tackling cybercrimes, including investment in awareness programmes.
Published – August 18, 2025 07:00 pm IST
Click Here For The Original Source.
