Cyber Fraud Every 20 Minutes In Chhattisgarh, Over Rs 700 Crore Lost In 2 Years

As India's digital transformation accelerates, Chhattisgarh is emerging as one of its most alarming cautionary tales. With smartphones in every hand and banking at every fingertip, digital convenience has quietly opened the door to an epidemic of cybercrime. Data presented during the latest assembly session has sent shockwaves through the state. From January 2023 to June 2025, an astonishing 67,389 cyber fraud complaints were filed on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.

That's roughly one victim every 20 minutes - or three every hour - falling prey to scammers siphoning off crores through phishing links, fake apps, fraudulent calls, and social engineering tactics. 

The total amount of money involved - a staggering Rs 791 crore.

What's worse, the scale of enforcement and redressal doesn't even come close to matching the scale of the crime. 

In Raipur alone, the digital crime capital of the state, over 16,000 cases have been registered. Yet, only 107 victims have received refunds, accounting for barely 0.2 per cent of those who came forward. And when it comes to bank-related fraud, just three cases have led to arrests, and only seven individuals have been jailed. 

These figures, made public in response to pointed questions raised by BJP MLAs Sunil Soni and Gajendra Yadav, highlight an urgent need for both stronger digital safety mechanisms and public awareness.

The human cost behind these numbers is harrowing. MLA Sunil Soni, speaking in the state assembly, warned that the financial losses were so devastating that some victims had been pushed to the brink, even contemplating suicide. 

"Cybercrime is not just theft-it's psychological warfare," Mr Soni said, calling for immediate ramping up of cyber literacy across the state.

The government has acknowledged the crisis, with Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma saying cybercrime is "a global challenge" and laying out the administration's ongoing response. 

Chhattisgarh has established cyber police stations in five divisions, with nine more approved in the budget. A cyber cell is now present in every police station, and a dedicated cyber building has been set up in Raipur. 

Additionally, 129 personnel have been freshly appointed at the police headquarters, and a Cyber Commando scheme is in progress to create a specialized, tech-savvy police force. Officers are being trained at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Police Academy and institutions like C-DAC I4.

However, despite these steps, the numbers speak of a chasm between policy on paper and protection on the ground: Of the 67,389 complaints received, only 21,195 have even been processed.