Cybercrime surges in Hyderabad, NCRB ranks city second

HYDERABAD: Cybercrime is rising steadily in the city, making Hyderabad one of the top targets for online fraudsters, according to the latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

The NCRB report released this week shows Hyderabad ranked second in India for cybercrime cases in 2023, with 4,855 cases registered. Bengaluru topped the list with 17,631 cases, while Mumbai was third with 4,131 cases. Hyderabad moved up from third place in 2022 to second in 2023.

Banking frauds dominate

Nearly 59% of the cases (2,858) in Hyderabad involved online banking-related frauds, NCRB data revealed. Offenders posing as bank officials trick customers into sharing personal details and one-time passwords under the pretext of updating Know Your Customer (KYC) records. Using this data, they emptied victims’ accounts.

Cybercrimes involving ATM cards and centres also remained significant, with 211 cases reported across the city in 2023.

Investigations face hurdles

Police officials admitted that solving these cases is difficult. “Most offenders use SIM cards and bank accounts not linked to their identities. They also hide their internet protocol (IP) addresses using proxy servers. Many masterminds operate from abroad, making evidence collection nearly impossible,” a city police officer said.

In 2,733 cases (56.29%), investigations were closed due to lack of evidence. Authorities said while victims often lose large sums, police are unable to trace the culprits or recover money.

Awareness efforts

Officials warned that cybercrime, along with terrorism, could pose a major challenge in the future. To counter the trend, police have been registering every complaint as a case and referring those involving over ₹1 lakh to the Cybercrime Police Station, while smaller cases are handled by local police stations.

“Earlier, some victims—especially women—hesitated to report sensitive cases. But with greater awareness, more complaints are being filed now. We are conducting awareness campaigns in colleges and schools to curb the menace,” the officer added.