Cybercrime tsunami hits Himachal: Six victims every 15 minutes as fraud tactics evolve

Himachal Pradesh is facing a staggering surge in cybercrime, with at least six people falling prey to online frauds every 15 minutes. The explosion in cybercrime cases comes as more people across the state become reliant on smartphones, social media and rapidly advancing digital technologies.

According to records from the state’s cyber cell, the average number of cybercrime-related complaints has seen a dramatic rise over the past three years. While the state received around 122 complaints per day in 2023, the daily average increased to 301 in 2024 and has skyrocketed to 629 in 2025, just within the first seven months. The total number of cybercrime complaint calls rose from 44,541 in 2023 to a staggering 1,10,431 in 2024. As of July 2025, that number has already climbed to 1,16,311, indicating a tripling of complaints in just two years.

This surge has also led to massive financial losses. In 2023, residents lost approximately Rs 41.04 crore, with authorities managing to put Rs 3.75 crore on hold. In 2024, the amount lost jumped to Rs 114.92 crore, out of which Rs 11.29 crore was successfully blocked before being transferred to fraudsters. Between January and July this year alone, people have already lost Rs 63.78 crore to cyber scams.

While financial fraud and sextortion remain the most common forms of cybercrime, fraudsters are constantly adopting new and sophisticated methods to deceive people. Many victims are lured by offers of easy loans, fake investment schemes promising high returns in cryptocurrency or derivatives markets and fraudulent updates of Aadhaar, PAN or bank details. Alarmingly, cybercriminals are now using artificial intelligence-based voice cloning technology to mimic the voices of victims’ close relatives. These cloned voices are used in emotionally manipulative calls claiming legal or financial emergencies to extract money.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of State CID Cyber Crime, Mohit Chawla, has urged the public to remain vigilant and not to share any personal or financial information over calls or online messages. He advised citizens to frequently update passwords for their social media accounts and to remain calm when confronted with alarming calls, stressing that panic often works in the fraudsters’ favour. Chawla emphasised the importance of verifying the identity of unknown callers, especially when they make suspicious or urgent financial requests.

In his public appeal, DIG Chawla encouraged people to report any suspicious activity or incidents of cybercrime immediately by calling the toll-free helpline number 1930. He reiterated that timely action and public awareness are key to curbing the cybercrime menace, which continues to grow in scale and sophistication with each passing day.

Himachal Tribune