Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi

Udupi, Feb 12: Despite a surge in digital transactions, the recovery rate for victims of online fraud remains alarmingly low. Recent data from the Udupi district cybercrime police reveals that only 7 percent of the total money lost in 522 registered cases has been successfully recovered.

In the 522 cybercrime cases reported across the district, victims lost a staggering amount of money to various online scams. However, investigative agencies have managed to recover only a small fraction, amounting to 7 percent of the total stolen funds. Officials have pointed out that the rapid movement of money across multiple accounts and the use of offshore servers by fraudsters significantly hinder recovery efforts.

The district has seen a variety of cyber offenses, including credit card fraud, investment scams, and "digital arrest" deceptions. Fraudsters often pose as representatives of insurance companies, bank officials, or law enforcement officers to gain access to sensitive information like OTPs and credit card details.

The Udupi police have issued a stern warning to mobile users to remain vigilant. They emphasized that once money is transferred out of an account, the chances of getting it back are slim unless the incident is reported within the "golden hour"—the first one to two hours following the fraud.

Authorities have urged citizens not to share personal banking details or OTPs with unknown callers and to immediately report any suspicious financial activity by calling the national cybercrime helpline at 1930.