Hyderabad: Cyber Crime police register 117 FIRs in January, arrest 37; Rs 72 lakh refunded to victims

Hyderabad: The Cyber Crime Police Station (CCPS), Hyderabad, registered 117 First Information Reports (FIRs) in January and arrested 37 accused from seven States as part of intensified operations against online frauds.

Authorities also succeeded in refunding Rs 71.91 lakh to cybercrime victims during the month, according to official data released on Friday.

Arrests across seven states

During special operations, CCPS teams cracked 26 cases and arrested offenders from multiple States. Investigations revealed that the arrested accused were linked to 86 cybercrime cases across India, with their bank accounts recording transactions worth nearly Rs 65 crore.

State-wise breakup of cases linked to the accused:

Telangana – 9

Andhra Pradesh – 6

Maharashtra – 1

Karnataka – 1

West Bengal – 1

Bihar – 1

Delhi – 1

Key Case: Matrimonial trap leads to crypto scam

In one major investment fraud case, a Hyderabad resident was cheated of Rs 11.17 lakh after being befriended by a woman on a matrimonial website. The woman claimed to be a UK-based Azure DevOps engineer and lured the complainant into investing in a fake crypto trading platform named Bakktcoin.

To build trust, the victim initially received a small fake profit of Rs 2,663. However, when he attempted to withdraw his funds later, he was denied access and pressured to invest more. Between October 26 and November 12, 2025, he transferred Rs 11.20 lakh through UPI, bank transfers, and USDT, eventually realising it was a scam.

Two accused from Gajuwaka in Andhra Pradesh were arrested in the case for supplying SIM cards to fraudsters. Five mobile phones and 10 SIM cards were seized.

Nature of cybercrime cases

Police said investment-related frauds dominated the cases registered during the month.

Modus operandi-wise breakup:

Investment fraud – 15 cases

Digital arrest scams – 2

Social media (CSAM–POCSO) – 4

Job fraud – 3

Business fraud – 1

Gaming fraud – 1

Property seized from accused

During searches and arrests, Cyber Crime Police seized multiple items used in committing fraud, including:

Mobile phones – 26

Laptop – 1

Cheque books – 57

SIM cards – 79

Debit cards – 62

Shell company stamps – 15

QR code scanners – 8

Zonal Cyber Cells: Surge in FIRs

Zonal Cyber Cells in Hyderabad received 1,706 petitions through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) in January. Out of these, 315 FIRs were registered.

Police attributed the rise in FIRs to the C-MITRA initiative, which focuses on proactive victim assistance. Zonal teams arrested 13 accused in 13 cases across India and facilitated refunds totalling Rs 10.65 lakh to victims.

Public advisory

Cyber Crime Police urged citizens to remain alert and avoid falling prey to online frauds, highlighting common scams such as:

Fake social media profiles impersonating senior government officials

Fraudulent investment groups promising high returns

Malicious APK files and phishing links

‘Digital arrest’ and impersonation scams involving fake law enforcement agencies

Police clarified that no government agency conducts online arrests or demands money over phone or video calls.

How to report cybercrime

Victims are advised to report cyber fraud immediately to increase the chances of fund recovery.

Helpline: 1930

Website: www.cybercrime.gov.in

“Timely reporting can help freeze fraudulent accounts and recover money,” said Additional Commissioner of Police, Crimes & SIT, Hyderabad City, M Srinivasulu.