Hyderabad Cybercrime: Senior citizens lose Rs 102 crore in 19 months

Cybercriminals have caused losses of Rs 102.02 crore to senior citizens in Hyderabad in 403 cases between January 2025 and July 2026. Police said trading and digital arrest scams were major threats, while warning elderly residents against fraudulent calls and online offers.

Hyderabad: Senior citizens in Hyderabad have emerged as prime targets of cyber criminals, with fraudsters siphoning off more than Rs 102 crore from elderly victims in the last 19 months, according to data from the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police Station.

Between January 2025 and July 31, 2026, as many as 403 cybercrime cases involving victims above 60 years of age were registered, resulting in a total financial loss of Rs 102.02 crore.

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In one case, a 75-year-old retired government employee from Jubilee Hills was lured through a WhatsApp message offering a part-time job. After gaining his confidence through small tasks and initial payments, the fraudsters added him to a Telegram group and promised huge returns through foreign exchange trading. Showing fake profits on a fabricated platform, they collected Rs 96 lakh from him in the name of withdrawal and processing charges, the police stated.

In another case, a 70-year-old retired gazetted officer received a video call from a fraudster posing as Mumbai Police officer Anoop Kumar Sharma. The caller threatened him with arrest in a fake money laundering case and, using forged documents, convinced him to transfer Rs 85 lakh in a single RTGS transaction for account verification, the police explained.

Trading frauds emerged as the biggest source of losses among senior citizens, with 113 cases accounting for over Rs 5.88 crore. Fraudsters lure victims with promises of high returns in stock markets and foreign exchange trading through fake applications and online platforms.

Digital arrest scams were the second major threat, with 69 cases causing losses of Rs 31.93 crore. Fraudsters impersonating officials from agencies such as police, CBI, ED and customs frighten victims through video calls and force them to transfer money.

One Time Password (OTP) frauds accounted for 115 cases, with losses of Rs 4.94 crore, while investment scams caused losses of Rs 2.79 crore in 22 cases. Dating frauds and honey traps also affected elderly victims, causing losses of over Rs 70 lakh.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar appealed to senior citizens not to fall prey to such scams. He clarified that there is no concept of “digital arrest” under Indian law and no government agency demands money through phone or video calls.