Cybercrime busts in August: Hyderabad cops arrest 61, return Rs 1.01 crore to victims

Hyderabad: In August, the cybercrimes police station received 338 NCRP (National Cybercrime Reporting Portal) complaints, out of which 233 FIRs were registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station, Hyderabad City and 90 FIRs were registered at Zonal Cyber Cells of Hyderabad City Police.

As per police records, a nationwide hunt for cyber criminals was launched and over Rs 1.01 crore was refunded to the victims. During the special operations in August, Cyber Crime Police, Hyderabad City, arrested 61 individuals from across India.

Types of cyber fraud

Here’s a list of cyber fraud that were busted by the Hyderabad police in August 2025:

Trading frauds - 13,

Investment frauds - 12

Social media related - 11

Insurance frauds - 8

Digital arrest scams - 3

Social media tip line - 1

Unauthorised transactions - 3

Impersonation - 2

Loan fraud - 2

Copyright Act - 5

OTP fraud - 2

Insurance fraud - 8

Accused across India caught

The accused were found to be involved in a total of 132 cases across India, including 30 cases identified within Telangana.

The accused arrested were found in the following States

Tamil Nadu – 20

Karnataka – 16

Maharashtra – 13

Gujarat – 18

Andhra Pradesh – 7

Delhi – 13

West Bengal – 8

Uttar Pradesh – 2

Madhya Pradesh – 1

Bihar – 1

Assam – 1

Uttarakhand – 1

Rajasthan – 1

The list of seized property includes:

Mobile Phones – 50

Cheque Books – 21

Passbooks – 12

ATM/Debit Cards – 51

Laptops – 7

Shell Company Stamps – 3

SIM Cards – 82

Victims get money back from scammers

As per the police data, a total of Rs 1,01,39,338 (approx. Rs 1.01 crore) was refunded to the victims of various fraud.

A breakdown of the refunds includes:

1. Investment fraud – Rs 52,13,312

2. Trading fraud – Rs 16,23,187

3. Loan Fraud – Rs 15,79,735

4. OTP fraud - Rs 8,86,643

5. Job Fraud – Rs 3,48,000

6. Gaming Fraud – Rs 2,25,452

7. Business fraud – Rs 2,17,009

8. Digital Arrest Fraud - Rs 46,000

Here are some of the prominent cyber fraud cases:

Investment fraud in Tarnaka

The Tarnaka resident lost Rs 1.05 crore after trusting fraudulent huge returns. She was cheated through a well-planned cyber fraud between January and July 2025.

Fraudsters, impersonating as officials of NSE and Coin SSDCX via Instagram and Telegram groups, induced her to perform online ‘tasks’ and invest through fake trading links.

Initially, small rewards were credited to gain her trust.

Later, she was persuaded to transfer large amounts on the pretext of investments, tax clearance and target approvals.

In total, she transferred Rs 1,05,03,752 to various accounts as directed. Though the app account showed Rs 6.05 crores, no refund was given. Then she realised it was a scam and filed a complaint.

An elderly man was cheated out of Rs 25 lakh via a WhatsApp group

Scammers use a fake trading app and WhatsApp group to cheat a 73-year-old man from Hyderabad out of Rs 22.5 lakh. It started with the man receiving a message from the number 9558073914, where the sender, claiming to be Manoj Joshi, CIO of Share Khan, lured him into investing in IPOs.

The victim invested Rs 50,000 for 400 shares of Denta Water and Infra Solutions via www.sharekhanedge.com, selling them at a loss. He then applied for 4,000 shares of GB Logistics Commerce for Rs 1,00,000.

Later, he was allotted 30,284 shares of Dr Agarwal Healthcare for Rs 21,00,000.

The trading app showed its principal of Rs 22,50,000 with a profit of Rs 1.2 crores. He was asked to pay Rs 65 lakh (35 per cent of profit) and Rs 77,11,565 to withdraw funds. Realising it was a scam, he did not pay further. He lost Rs 22,50,000 in total. He reported the fraud via the 1930 helpline and lodged a complaint with the Cybercrime police.

How Telegram is used for financial fraud

The accused in this case were receiving fraudulent amounts from victims and supplying USDT to Chinese nationals through Instagram

The accused, along with Chandhan, Kunal Singh and Shadow, came into contact with Chinese nationals through a Telegram group named Koolpay, which was being operated by Chinese handlers.

In this group, Chinese persons by name Daniel and Wise, along with Indian associates Priyanshu Kumar, Chandhan, Kunal, Shadow and about 1,000 other members, were offering mule bank accounts, USDT, and INR on a commission basis.

In this Telegram group, Daniel explained to the accused persons and their associates that they were luring victims in the name of trading and investment frauds by using several fake trading applications and fraudulent trading platforms being operated in India and abroad.

The Chinese national assured the accused persons that they would earn huge commissions by assisting in these fraudulent transactions. It was further revealed that the fraudulent amounts collected from the victims were to be shared among them, and in exchange, the accused had to deliver cryptocurrency (USDT) back to the Chinese operators.

Banjara Hills resident cheated via a fake trading app

A resident of Banjara Hills lodged a complaint stating that he received a WhatsApp message in a group named ‘J Strategic Inventors’ from the number 9831004247, advertising discounted shares. Subsequently, a person named Valentina (contact no. 7631565953), claiming to represent the company, contacted him and directed him to register on the website www.agrindia.net.

Believing the representation, the complainant invested Rs 40,000 by transferring the amount to A/c No. 4306138716, IFSC: SBIN0003592.

Although he sold the shares, he was unable to withdraw the proceeds.

When he contacted the accused, they falsely claimed that he had purchased IPO shares and must compulsorily buy them further to claim his money.

Attempts to reach other ‘customers’ in the WhatsApp group also failed, revealing that the group was fake. Realising the fraud, the complainant requested police action against the fraudsters and recovery of his money.

Public advisory

The public is strongly advised to remain vigilant and not fall prey to messages or friend requests on social media platforms claiming to be from senior government officials and requesting money.

Always verify the authenticity of such communications through official channels. Do not transfer any money without thoroughly confirming the identity and legitimacy of the requester.

Beware of fake investment groups on social media!

Fraudulent groups on platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, X, Instagram and Facebook are increasingly promoting fake investment schemes promising high returns with little or no risk.

Don’t fall for these scams!

Always use SEBI-approved apps for investments and consult a SEBI-registered financial advisor before making any financial decisions. Stay alert, stay safe.

Beware of malicious APK files

Fraudsters are sending malicious APK files through SMS and WhatsApp messages, often pretending to be from banks or official sources.

Please note that banks never send such files or links via SMS or WhatsApp. Do not click on suspicious links or download unknown files, as they may compromise your personal and financial information. Stay alert and protect your device.

Reaching for help in case of cyber fraud

Don’t panic if you receive any threatening video calls claiming to be as CBI, RBI, ED, Customs, Judges, cyber-crimes police, Narcotics, FedEx, BSNL, TRAI etc.

No government agency or law enforcement officials will make such Skype calls or Phone calls and demand money for clearing the issue. There is no digital arrest and no online enquiry in the system.

There is a possibility to get a refund of at least part of the lost and ‘put on hold amount’, if it is reported immediately.

Victims of such Cyber frauds can report immediately on the helpline number 1930.