Hyderabad Cyber Cops Arrest 47 Across 7 States in Nationwide Fraud Crackdown
The Cyber Crime Police of Hyderabad have arrested 47 people across seven states in a special drive to dismantle cyber fraud networks operating across the country. The month-long operation targeted cases registered through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
According to police, the arrests were linked to 36 cybercrime cases. During August, the Cyber Crime Police Station received several complaints and registered 65 First Information Reports (FIRs). The accused were held in Telangana (15), Andhra Pradesh (14), Delhi (8), Maharashtra (4), Karnataka (4), Haryana (1), and Uttar Pradesh (1).
Investment and trading frauds accounted for the largest number of cases. Officials said that of those arrested, 16 were involved in investment fraud, 12 in trading fraud, and seven in social media-related offences. The remaining suspects were allegedly linked to OTP-related fraud, impersonation, fake job offers, credit card fraud, APK-based scams, and fraudulent advertisements.
Police seized 28 mobile phones, three cheque books, three SIM cards, one debit card, one laptop, one router, one hard disk, and one Apple iPad during the operations.
A key focus of the crackdown was recovering money lost by victims. Officials said Rs 99.79 lakh was refunded to complainants during August through various recovery and restoration measures. The total reported loss in the 34 cases covered under the refund details was around Rs 17.78 crore.
In one trading fraud case, a Hyderabad resident reportedly lost Rs 25.50 lakh after his mobile phone was lost while travelling by bus. Police arrested three people in connection with that case and seized four mobile phones.
The cyber police also intensified online surveillance. During August, officers identified 231 social media profiles involved in misleading or unlawful promotions, including fraudulent investment schemes, betting, fake job offers, and other illegal activities. Police said all 231 profiles were reported to the respective platforms and subsequently removed.
Under the continuing cyber-patrol programme, police have so far identified and removed 1,317 social media profiles and 2,573 paid advertisements promoting illegal betting, online gaming, and fraudulent investment websites. Nine FIRs have been registered against promoters, and further investigation is ongoing.
Police have urged citizens to remain cautious of unsolicited offers on social media and messaging platforms, and to report suspected fraud through the NCRP or the cyber helpline. The crackdown is part of a broader effort to reduce cyber-enabled financial crime, which has risen sharply in India in recent years, affecting victims across income groups.
