<p>For the first time in two years, Bengaluru has reported a steep drop in cybercrime cases in what police believe is the start of a sustained trend, according to data reviewed by <span class="italic">DH</span>.</p>.<p>Cases dropped to 8,927 in the first 10 months of this year, from 15,084 in the corresponding period of 2024, registering a fall of 41%. The drop is 38% when compared to the corresponding data of 2023 when 14,324 cases were registered in the first 10 months.</p>.Cybercrime-terror funding case: Man in MP police custody falls to death from Gurugram hotel.<p>Senior police officers attribute the decline to rising public awareness and stronger enforcement but some also believe that the police are registering fewer FIRs.</p>.<p>Karnataka continues to top the country in cybercrimes, with Bengaluru reporting more cases than any other city.</p>.<p>Bengaluru residents lost a staggering Rs 1,261 crore to online frauds in the first eight months of this year.</p>.<p>According to a senior police officer, the modus operandi of cybercriminals has changed: most cases now involve investment frauds, online part-time job frauds and digital arrests.</p>.<p>“Earlier, losses were spread across many cases. Now, each case sees significant amounts being lost,” the officer noted.</p>.<p>He added that both the Union and the state governments had increased awareness and crackdowns last year. “The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has implemented several measures and integrated AI to remove fraudulent, international, spam and spoofing calls. KYC norms have been tightened. Fraudulent SIM cards are being blocked on a large scale,” the officer stated.</p>.<p>Banks are now proactively flagging suspicious transactions. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is conducting constant follow-ups. </p>.<p>The RBI and the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau are issuing fresh SOPs, he explained. “This multi-front crackdown is showing results,” he added. </p>.<p>Another cybercrime officer noted improvements in the Bengaluru police’s investigation capabilities, especially in arrests and busting local mule account networks used by cybercriminals to launder the crime proceeds. </p>.<p>“Interstate police coordination has improved, both when our teams go to other states to arrest the suspects and when they come here. Social media and messaging app companies are also responding more promptly when their help is sought in investigations,” the officer said. </p>.<p>However, some officers in the city police feel that FIR registrations have dipped, especially because investigators often ignore cases where small sums are lost. “The resources are stretched thin, and the top brass lacks the will to make a real difference. So investigators are not registering FIRs in all cybercrimes. If the amount lost is just a few thousands or lakhs, officials either don’t register the FIR or drag the investigation,” another senior officer stated. </p>
<p>For the first time in two years, Bengaluru has reported a steep drop in cybercrime cases in what police believe is the start of a sustained trend, according to data reviewed by <span class="italic">DH</span>.</p>.<p>Cases dropped to 8,927 in the first 10 months of this year, from 15,084 in the corresponding period of 2024, registering a fall of 41%. The drop is 38% when compared to the corresponding data of 2023 when 14,324 cases were registered in the first 10 months.</p>.Cybercrime-terror funding case: Man in MP police custody falls to death from Gurugram hotel.<p>Senior police officers attribute the decline to rising public awareness and stronger enforcement but some also believe that the police are registering fewer FIRs.</p>.<p>Karnataka continues to top the country in cybercrimes, with Bengaluru reporting more cases than any other city.</p>.<p>Bengaluru residents lost a staggering Rs 1,261 crore to online frauds in the first eight months of this year.</p>.<p>According to a senior police officer, the modus operandi of cybercriminals has changed: most cases now involve investment frauds, online part-time job frauds and digital arrests.</p>.<p>“Earlier, losses were spread across many cases. Now, each case sees significant amounts being lost,” the officer noted.</p>.<p>He added that both the Union and the state governments had increased awareness and crackdowns last year. “The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has implemented several measures and integrated AI to remove fraudulent, international, spam and spoofing calls. KYC norms have been tightened. Fraudulent SIM cards are being blocked on a large scale,” the officer stated.</p>.<p>Banks are now proactively flagging suspicious transactions. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is conducting constant follow-ups. </p>.<p>The RBI and the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau are issuing fresh SOPs, he explained. “This multi-front crackdown is showing results,” he added. </p>.<p>Another cybercrime officer noted improvements in the Bengaluru police’s investigation capabilities, especially in arrests and busting local mule account networks used by cybercriminals to launder the crime proceeds. </p>.<p>“Interstate police coordination has improved, both when our teams go to other states to arrest the suspects and when they come here. Social media and messaging app companies are also responding more promptly when their help is sought in investigations,” the officer said. </p>.<p>However, some officers in the city police feel that FIR registrations have dipped, especially because investigators often ignore cases where small sums are lost. “The resources are stretched thin, and the top brass lacks the will to make a real difference. So investigators are not registering FIRs in all cybercrimes. If the amount lost is just a few thousands or lakhs, officials either don’t register the FIR or drag the investigation,” another senior officer stated. </p>