Top 3 cyber scams targeting Delhi-NCR citizens right now

Indian Express

08-08-2025

As cyber fraud continues to affect citizens, the Delhi Police has identified three emerging types of scams in an effort to raise public awareness.
Fake message scam
In this, scammers usually send fake messages related to water bills, electricity bills, and traffic e-challans.
They follow a similar modus operandi — they send APK (Android Package Kit) files through WhatsApp or text messages. Once downloaded, these files give fraudsters access to the victim's mobile device, enabling them to steal personal and financial information.
Multiple complaints have been received from across the national capital regarding fake water and electricity bills.
The complainants also informed the police that the fraudsters sometimes make phone calls before sending the fake bills, mentioning the target's address and other personal details. Investigating officers believe that the details of the complainants may have been shared with the fraudsters by people in the company concerned.
According to Delhi Police, the phishing scams are being operated from specific regions across the country, including Jamtara in Jharkhand; North 24 Parganas, East Burdwan, and Hooghly districts in West Bengal; parts of Maharashtra; and the Nuh region in Haryana.
Many of the fraudsters based in these areas were previously involved in other cybercrimes such as OTP scams, fake job offers, fraudulent loan schemes, and sextortion cases.
Investment fraud
Investment scams, one of the most common types of cyber fraud, typically involve fraudsters luring victims with false promises of doubling their money. These operations are frequently run from outside India, with key masterminds based in countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore.
These scams often take the form of social media investment frauds, cryptocurrency-related schemes, fake real estate opportunities, Ponzi schemes, and other offers promising unusually high returns.
According to a senior officer, the most common frauds seen in recent months involve investment offers that guarantee high interest returns.
Fraudsters often initiate contact with victims through social media platforms such as Instagram, Telegram, or Facebook. Posing as friendly acquaintances or fellow investors, members of the group work together to create a false sense of legitimacy.
One member introduces a seemingly lucrative investment scheme that promises to double the money, while others — acting as satisfied investors — endorse it by claiming they've already profited.
To build trust, the victim is initially given a small return. Once their confidence is gained, the fraudsters persuade them to invest a larger sum — and then vanish, blocking all contact and making off with the money.
Digital arrest
Digital arrest scams are rampant in Delhi-NCR. The fraudsters mostly target individuals who are living alone or away from their families.
Posing as a courier service agent, the scammer typically calls the victim, claiming to be from FedEx or any other well-known courier company. They inform the target that a package in their name has been held at the airport because it allegedly contains illegal items.
When the target inquires about the package — especially after realising it has their address and other personal details — the cheater connects them to a fake customs or police officer. The victim is then told to transfer money to a so-called RBI-mandated 'surveillance' bank account to avoid arrest. The cheaters further assure the victim that the amount will be refunded once their identity is verified, adding a deceptive twist to gain trust.
The cheaters often keep the victim confined to a video call for several hours or even days, continuously monitoring and pressuring them. They create an atmosphere of fear by issuing threats of surveillance, arrest, and imprisonment, using these tactics to extort large sums of money from the victim.
Apart from Delhi, victims in Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurgaon have lost lakhs and even crores of rupees to this scam.