Last year, the State logged 1.27 lakh cases, with more than 13,000 linked to investment frauds and over 4,400 involving digital arrest scams.
Published Sep 10, 2025 | 4:16 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 10, 2025 | 4:16 PM
Financial fraud (Creative Commons)
Synopsis: In 2025, Tamil Nadu reported over 1.09 lakh cyber fraud cases, with losses nearing ₹1,100 crore. Common scams include phishing, fake investments, and digital arrests. While ₹314 crore was frozen and ₹62.4 crore refunded, much remains unrecovered. A new court circular now eases fund recovery using NCRP acknowledgements, but authorities still face major challenges in combating online financial fraud.
Tamil Nadu has recorded over 1.09 lakh complaints of cyber fraud in 2025, with victims collectively losing close to ₹1,100 crore, according to official data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
Authorities say fraudsters are increasingly using phishing mails, fake investment schemes, and ‘digital arrest’ scams to target people. Many of these scams lure victims with promises of high returns, while others trick them into transferring money under threats of legal action.
Last year, the State logged 1.27 lakh cases, with more than 13,000 linked to investment frauds and over 4,400 involving digital arrest scams.
Losses in 2024 were higher, estimated at around ₹1,673 crore, of which only a fraction could be returned to victims.
Cyber Crime ADGP Sandeep Mittal said that, as of July 2025, around ₹314 crore has been frozen and ₹62.4 crore refunded to complainants with the approval of courts.
A recent Madras High Court circular has also made it easier for victims to recover their frozen money, as magistrates have been instructed not to insist on FIRs if the NCRP acknowledgement number is available.
While recovery efforts have improved, Mittal admitted that a large portion of frozen funds remain out of reach, highlighting the continuing challenge in tackling cyber-enabled financial fraud.
