Cyber scammers swindle Rs 1,000 crore in Tamil Nadu

Cyber scammers swindled Rs 1,010 crore from people in Tamil Nadu this year, police data shows. Swift action froze Rs 314 crore and returned Rs 62 crore. Crackdowns under Operation Thiraineeku and Operation Hydra led to multiple arrests and Goondas Act detentions.

Chennai: Tamil Nadu has witnessed alarming levels of cyber fraud this year, with the public losing nearly Rs 1,010 crore to various scams until July, according to data released by the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing.

Officials said that swift intervention has helped freeze Rs 314 crore of the cheated amount, while Rs 62.4 crore has been returned to victims after obtaining necessary court approvals. In comparison, cyber fraud losses stood at a staggering Rs 1,673 crore in 2024. Of this, Rs 772 crore was frozen and Rs 84 crore eventually restored to victims.

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While the rising scale of such crimes highlights the deepening menace of online fraud, authorities maintained that Tamil Nadu continues to be at the forefront nationally in combating cyber threats and preventing people from being fully victimised.

The Cyber Crime Wing has undertaken a series of high-impact operations this year.

In a statewide crackdown codenamed ‘Operation Thiraineeku-I’, officers arrested 76 accused in connection with 135 FIRs and 20 Community Service Registers (CSRs) linked to 158 complaints filed through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP).

The total reported loss in these complaints alone was Rs 41.97 crore. Officials said the operation not only brought multiple cybercriminals to justice but also sent out a strong deterrent message to fraudsters targeting people through online loan scams, investment frauds, and phishing.

On a broader scale, Tamil Nadu played a significant role in the Pan-India ‘Operation Hydra’, targeting cyber criminals across state borders.

As part of this initiative, seven offenders from Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Assam, and Delhi, who were involved in high-impact cybercrime networks, were arrested. These individuals were said to be operating organised fraud syndicates using fake call centres and digital manipulation tactics to siphon off large sums from unsuspecting victims.

In another tough measure, the state has detained 18 cyber offenders under the stringent Goondas Act, underscoring its zero-tolerance approach.

Senior officials noted that these actions are intended not only to penalise the guilty but also to safeguard potential victims by dismantling fraud networks before they inflict wider damage. Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant, avoid sharing personal information online, and report suspicious activity immediately through the NCRP portal or state helplines.