Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 25: Cyber fraud losses in India have surged dramatically, with more than 80 per cent of the total money lost to online scams since 2020 being recorded in just the last two years, according to government data.
Figures accessed by News18 show that Indians lost a staggering Rs 55,659.81 crore to cyber fraud between 2020 and 2025. Of this amount, Rs 45,344.16 crore was lost during 2024 and 2025 alone, highlighting the rapid escalation of cyber-enabled financial crimes across the country.
The number of complaints has also risen sharply. Authorities received around 67.32 lakh cyber fraud complaints between 2019 and 2025, with nearly 43.22 lakh complaints — almost two-thirds of the total — registered in the last two years.
The data indicates that cybercriminals are not only targeting more victims but are also extracting larger sums from each successful scam. As a result, the average loss per complaint has increased significantly, pointing to a growing sophistication in cyber fraud operations.
The trend has affected people across all sections of society, including prominent public figures. Delhi alone has witnessed two major cyber fraud cases this year involving losses exceeding Rs 21 crore.
One of the most notable cases involved former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral's son, Naresh Gujral. Investigators said fraudsters allegedly impersonated him on a messaging platform and manipulated an employee into transferring nearly Rs 7.8 crore. The incident is being viewed as a classic example of social engineering, where criminals exploit trust and human behaviour rather than relying solely on technical methods.
Officials say the case underlines a growing concern that no individual is immune from cyber fraud, regardless of status, influence or financial standing.
With complaints continuing to rise and financial losses mounting, the latest figures paint a worrying picture of India's cybercrime landscape. More than four out of every five rupees lost to cyber fraud since 2020 have disappeared in the past two years, underscoring the urgent need for stronger awareness, preventive measures and enforcement mechanisms.