What You Need to Know About the Increasing Wave of Complex Phone Scams in Bengaluru
Phone-based cyber scams are on the rise in Bengaluru right now, with increasingly complex schemes that prey on gullible people, particularly professionals and the elderly.
The extent of the threat was highlighted by the startling ₹938 crore that Karnataka lost to cybercriminals between January and May 2025 alone, with over 6,000 cases recorded.
Bengaluru continues to be the epicenter; victims have reported losses of over ₹3,300 crore over the last 18 months, and the city’s 1930 cybercrime helpline receives almost 4,500 calls every day.
In order to justify extortion, scammers have moved from basic OTP and phishing scams to more complex impersonation techniques, such as pretending to be Mumbai Crime Branch or telecom officials or even using AI-generated voice or video calls.
In a terrifying real-life instance, a 77-year-old Bengaluru woman was tricked into thinking her SIM card was being used illegally, leading to her being defrauded of ₹1.2 crore.
Behind the Frauds—Investigations by the Ground Police revealed call centers where agents systematically followed up with people who answered by dialing numbers in groups, such as those who might have money or demat accounts. One such network, which was spread across meticulously controlled daily operations, defrauded victims of about ₹140 crore in 2024 alone.
Greater Risk and Wider Scope
From 113 crore in 2022 to 562 crore in 2023 to 2,396 crore in 2024, financial losses are increasing rapidly. In the first five months of 2025 alone, 938 crore has already been lost.
Eight out of ten phishing emails use artificial intelligence (AI), which cybercriminals are quickly implementing to improve deception and more precisely target victims.
The Bottom Line and What This Means for Readers
Increased vigilance is necessary due to this changing threat. Do not panic or comply if you get suspicious calls, especially from people posing as officials. Rather, use official channels to confirm their identity and report them right away by calling the 1930 helpline. Account freezes or recovery measures may occasionally be possible with early reporting, during the so-called “golden hour.”
