Investment scam and Digital Arrest scam are showing a rising trend in cybercrimes reported recently.
Cyber investment scams involves online fraud where criminals deceive individuals into investing money in fake or deceptive opportunities. These schemes often lure victims with promises of extraordinarily high returns, sometimes claiming profits over 100 times the initial investment — an outcome that is virtually impossible.
Common types of cyber investment scams include stock market investment fraud, online trading scams, forex trading schemes, WhatsApp-based trading group frauds, matrimonial investment scams, multi-level marketing (MLM) investment scams, and cryptocurrency investment scams.
The upward trend is clear when comparing the number of investment scams reported between January and August in 2024 and 2025. In 2024, NCRP (National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal) recorded 11,024 investment scams, while in the same period of 2025, the reported cases rose to 13,287.
Digital Arrest Scam comes second in the number of cyber fraud cases reported. Scammers often contact victims via phone or video calls, claiming to be from agencies like the police or cybercrime units, and intimidate them into transferring money to avoid legal consequences. In 2024 until August, the Digital Arrest scams reported in NCRP are 2,762 whereas in 2025 for the same period the numbers reported are 4,439.
