Telangana Cyber Security Bureau Arrests 81 in Multi-State Crackdown on Cyber Fraud

The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has arrested 81 people, including seven women, in a coordinated 25-day operation across five states targeting large-scale cyber fraud networks.

The arrests, linked to 41 cases involving around ₹95 crore in fraud, included agents, facilitators, and mule account holders who enabled financial scams. Authorities seized 84 mobile phones, 101 SIM cards, and 89 bank passbooks, while several bank accounts have been frozen and Look-Out Circulars issued for absconding suspects.

The TGCSB said the crackdown aims to dismantle the infrastructure supporting cybercrime and urged the public to stay alert against investment and digital arrest scams.

Cyber fraud in India has surged dramatically over the past few years, driven by rapid digitisation, widespread smartphone use, and growing dependence on online financial services. Scammers are exploiting digital vulnerabilities through fake investment apps, phishing links, OTP scams, and “digital arrest” rackets—where victims are coerced into transferring money under false threats. According to recent reports, cybercrime complaints in India have crossed several lakh annually, with both urban and rural populations falling prey.

Many frauds operate through networks of “mule accounts” and agents who launder stolen money, often with international links. Law enforcement agencies, including the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau and state cyber cells, are intensifying multi-state operations to dismantle these networks. However, experts warn that prevention remains key—through digital literacy, stronger cybersecurity frameworks, and public vigilance—since new forms of deception continue to evolve faster than most users’ ability to identify them.