As arrests and awareness drives grow, the data showed that cybercrime in Hyderabad moves in multiple directions, not one.
Published Jan 02, 2026 | 12:54 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 02, 2026 | 12:54 PM
Cybercrime. Representative Image. (iStock)
Synopsis: In 2025, Hyderabad witnessed a fall in the number of cybercrime case. However, there was an increase in some types of cases, including child pornography. Across the city, financial fraud accounted for the largest number of complaints.
An elderly man in Cyberabad received a WhatsApp call from someone pretending to be a Delhi Police officer. Later, the fraudster told him to switch to a video call with another person who claimed to be a cybercrime officer. They told the man that CBI was involved in a case related to him and asked him to isolate himself from his family and any other authorities, claiming to maintain secrecy.
They also made him delete all shared messages.
Over the next few days, the fraudsters stayed in touch and made the old man break his fixed deposits to send them money. The transfers, they informed him, are for “RBI verification”. His ₹70 lakh vanished, and the phone numbers of the fraudsters went silent. Later, the Cyberabad police arrested four accused connected to the case.
This anecdote was shared by Cyberabad Cybercrimes Deputy Commissioner of Police YVS Sudheendra, who explained how cybercrimes affect the vulnerable.
The above-mentioned incident is just one among numerous cybercrimes that investigators recorded in Hyderabad’s three (now four) police commissionerates — Hyderabad City, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda — in 2025.
Across the city, financial fraud accounted for the largest number of complaints. Investment scams and digital arrests also featured prominently.
In one case, a fake advertisement of the Aditya Birla Group led a person to WhatsApp groups where people posed as trade advisors. They shared stock tips and IPO recommendations and asked him to download a trading application, submit KYC details and transfer money to multiple bank accounts.
The app displayed rising profits, and when he refused to deposit more money, it stopped working. By then, ₹32 lakh had been transferred from his accounts.
Later, the police find that part of the amount was converted into cryptocurrency. The accused, arrested from different states, used multiple bank accounts and messaging platforms to move the money.
In a similar case, a woman receives initial permission for small withdrawals. As soon as her total investment hit ₹23 lakh, the account froze. Police arrested two people and seized multiple phones used to operate the fraud.
According to the police, such cases continue at the top of cybercrime trend charts, even as categorical and overall numbers decreased in the year compared to 2024.
Cyberabad commissionerate’s annual report revealed a category that seemingly rose from the ashes. Amongst the rising numbers, there was a stark increase in cases of child pornography, jumping from four in 2024 to 53 this year. The percentage increase crosses a thousand.
Unlike financial fraud, this crime leaves no mark on bank statements. Detection becomes harder. Cases operate completely within closed systems, making them more difficult to flag than financial fraud.
This rise may go unnoticed alongside the fact that Cyberabad recorded a fall in its overall cybercrime cases by 11 percent. While FIRs declined, cybercrime petitions increased. This indicates that more people approach the police even when cases do not immediately become formal complaints.
The Rachakonda commissionerate conducted 955 cybercrime awareness programmes during the year, reaching over one lakh people. Officers facilitated refunds amounting to over ₹40 crore. They recorded 3,734 cases, while their Cyberabad counterpart logged over 7,000.
Hyderabad City commissionerate launched seven zonal cyber cells. Officers traced 6,942 mobile devices through the CEIR portal. The commissionerate witnessed a 27 percent reduction in cybercrime cases compared to 2024.
Cyberabad handled 7,636 cases in 2025. People lost ₹404.61 crore, while the police were able to retrieve ₹70.46 crore for the victims. Part-time job scams hit 2,079 people. Trading frauds caught 1,256 victims.
Digital arrest scams saw a drop across the region. Cyberabad handled 1,002 such cases in 2024. In 2025, only 117 people reported them. Part-time job frauds fell from 3,267 cases to 2,079.
While some frauds decreased, others surged. Unauthorised transactions in Cyberabad jumped 149 percent, rising from 136 to 339 cases. Phishing exploded by 333 percent, climbing from 15 to 65 cases.
OTP fraud also troubled Hyderabad City. Officers recorded 458 cases. Rachakonda registered 1,512 cases of investment scams. Hyderabad City recorded 740 investment scams and 430 trading frauds.
Customer care fraud was also persistent; fake phone numbers were listed on search results, which makes people give away account details. Cyberabad handled 279 such cases, Rachakonda 122 and Hyderabad City 49.
Meanwhile, the number of arrests climbed across commissionerates. Cyberabad caught 917 people in 2025, up from 534 in 2024. Hyderabad City arrested 566, compared to 511 the previous year. Officers detected 393 cases, up from 354.
Conviction rates improved. Cyberabad achieved 47 percent convictions in disposed cases during 2025. Courts heard evidence, examined digital trails, and sentenced offenders.
Recovery efforts produced mixed results. Cyberabad returned ₹70.46 crore to victims but lost ₹404.61 crore, leaving ₹334.15 crore unrecovered. Rachakonda recovered ₹40.10 crore. Hyderabad City managed ₹14.37 crore, down from ₹41.38 crore in 2024.
Money moves through multiple accounts, crosses state borders, is withdrawn as cash or is converted to cryptocurrency. Police freeze accounts when they can, but criminals adapt faster.
As arrests and awareness drives grow, the data showed that cybercrime in Hyderabad moves in multiple directions, not one.
Some categories collapse under enforcement pressure. Digital arrest scams fell 88 percent in Cyberabad. Part-time job frauds dropped 36 percent. Trading scams declined 25 percent.
Other categories explode despite increased vigilance. Child pornography cases increased over a thousand percent. Unauthorised transactions jumped 149 percent. Phishing grew 333 percent.
The decline in overall cases suggests awareness campaigns reach people. The 11 percent fall in Cyberabad cases and the 27 percent reduction in Hyderabad City indicate enforcement works. However, victims lost ₹655.75 crore across the region in 2025.
It should be noted that criminals shift tactics and abandon scams that attract attention. They refine methods that work silently, form networks across states, use cryptocurrency to move money beyond police reach and operate from abroad by coordinating through encrypted apps.
According to the data, police have been responding with new infrastructure. Hyderabad City launched seven zonal cyber cells. Officers are tracing thousands of stolen devices, conducting hundreds of awareness programmes, and arresting more people. They have also achieved higher conviction rates.
However, for every person caught, another takes their place. For every scam that gets attention, criminals invent a new one. For every frozen account, money finds another route.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
