Once upon a time, fraudsters needed disguises and fake IDs. Today, all that they require is your mobile number.
According to CID Crime data, every hour a person in Gujarat loses an average of Rs. 6.06 lakh to investment-related cyber fraud. Between January and September 2025, scammers drained Rs. 678.71 crore from the state across five major forms of online fraud.
From retirees looking to grow their savings to professionals answering convincing calls, countless victims have seen years of hard-earned money vanish in seconds.
Gujarat logged 1.42 lakh cybercrime complaints on the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) portal during the nine-month period — roughly 22 every hour. Nearly half of these, about 72,544, came from the major urban centres of Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, and Gandhinagar, with the remainder reported from smaller towns and rural regions.
According to a media report that quoted officers, fake identity scams, OTP-related fraud, card fraud, investment scams, and online cheating accounted for most of the cases. Out of 1.42 lakh total complaints, 72,061 fell into these five categories. Fake identity scams alone led the list with 27,816 cases and total losses of Rs. 137.27 crore. Investment and financial frauds, though fewer in number (9,240 cases), inflicted the heaviest monetary damage — Rs. 397.04 crore in total, with an average loss exceeding Rs. 4.3 lakh per case. For other categories like card or OTP fraud, the average loss was below Rs. 60,000.
The media report quoted experts saying that cybercriminals have now mastered “social engineering” — using psychological manipulation instead of technical hacking. They prey on trust, fear, and emotional responses. “Fraudsters often impersonate officials, investors, or distressed relatives. They sound convincing, and many victims realise the truth only when it’s too late,” a CID officer was quoted. Many of those targeted are elderly or recently retired individuals who tend to trust official-looking messages.
Officials emphasise the importance of swift action. “Reporting within the first 30 minutes is critical,” K. L. N. Rao, DGP (CID Crime), was quoted. “If the victim calls the national cybercrime helpline 1930 promptly, banks can freeze the stolen amount before it’s laundered through multiple accounts.”
The stories of victims underline how easily anyone can be deceived.
A 66-year-old retired oil company employee lost Rs. 55 lakh in a cryptocurrency scam after a fraudster posing as a successful Bitcoin investor lured him through Facebook and WhatsApp. The scammer showed fake screenshots of profits, tricking him into downloading a trading app and transferring his retirement savings. “I thought it was a smart investment, but they locked me out and stole everything,” he lamented.
Another 62-year-old retiree was duped of Rs. 66 lakh after clicking a link sent by someone claiming to represent a reputed investment firm. “I had just received my provident fund and was exploring investment options online. They guided me to download an app, which gave them access to my account. Within hours, the money was gone,” he recalled, talking to an English language national newspaper.
In another case, a 52-year-old Delhi woman discovered that she had unknowingly become part of a money-laundering chain. She had received Rs. 1.5 lakh from a scam victim into her account. “I thought I was investing through a legitimate app. When I tried to withdraw my money months later, I realised I had been duped too — of Rs. 2.5 lakh,” she said.
Fear-based scams are also rising. A 46-year-old man from Navrangpura was conned out of Rs. 57 lakh after receiving a call claiming his Aadhaar card was linked to illegal transactions in Mumbai. “They said they were from the Data Protection Board and later, the Mumbai Police. They even sent me a fake FIR with my details. I panicked and transferred the money,” he recounted, adding that he later faced humiliation from neighbours for his “gullibility.”
Officers note that many victims hesitate to report incidents due to shame or fear of mockery. “Embarrassment delays reporting, which gives scammers more time to cover their tracks. Quick action can mean the difference between full loss and recovery,” said a senior officer.
As digital deception becomes more sophisticated, experts urge citizens to remain alert — and compassionate. “Cybercrime isn’t about being foolish; it’s about being human,” said an investigator. “If you fall victim, act fast. The sooner you respond, the better your chances of getting your money back.”
Also Read: Online Scam Alert: Surat Man Loses Rs 1.4 Lakh in Kite-Buying Fraud https://www.vibesofindia.com/online-scam-alert-surat-man-loses-rs-1-4-lakh-in-kite-buying-fraud/
