Gurugram, November 18^th, 2025: The threat of cyber fraud is steadily increasing in the state of Haryana. The state has lost ₹850 crore to digital frauds in 2024, with Gurugram alone accounting for one-fifth of the total cases during this period, said Mr. Vikas Beniwal, Sub-Inspector, PS Cyber Manesar. He was speaking at the nationwide fraud awareness programme “Knock Out Digital Fraud” jointly organized by Haryana Police and Bajaj Finance Ltd (BFL) at Government College, Sidhrawali. Around 250 students and faculty members of the college attended the awareness programme.

Elaborating further on various kinds of frauds, Mr. Beniwal said,“The biggest reasons people fall victim are ignorance, greed and apprehension. Fraudsters use tactics like digital arrest, investment scams and task-based fraud to isolate victims, exploit psychology and drain their life savings. Whenever someone calls asking for money or account details, there should be no second thought—they are a fraudster. Awareness is the only real defence.”

“Cybercrime is rising at an alarming pace. In Gurugram alone, more than 25,000 cybercrime cases have been reported in 2024. In the event of cyber fraud, the victim should promptly file a complaint with the cyber police, as it significantly increases the chances of recovering the lost amount. The first three hours are considered the golden period for reporting such incidents,” he further said adding that total of 5000 arrests have been done so far in reported cases.

In 2024-25, the Haryana Police recovered ₹100 crore from cyber fraud cases. Across India, losses have crossed ₹22,800 crore in the same period—an increase of nearly 40% from last year.

Addressing the awareness campaign, Mr. Rajeshpal, Assistant Sub-Inspector, PS Cyber Manesar, Haryana said, “Our country is progressing, and as we grow stronger, cyber fraud has become a form of economic war against us. This is why nationwide fraud awareness is essential. You must stay alert and protect yourselves from tempting offers, suspicious links, and social media tricks. Fraudsters operate from abroad and use our own carelessness against us.”

“By not sharing your bank details, always verifying before you act, and staying alert, one can easily protect themselves from cyber fraud,” he added.

Mr. Satyender Kumar, Assistant Sub-Inspector, PS Cyber Manesar, Haryana said, “Cyber fraud has now become a business, operating through clusters across the country. As communication and digital connectivity have increased, our vulnerabilities have also grown. he most important thing is awareness. If you ever suspect cyber fraud, call 1930 immediately because early action greatly improves the chances of stopping the transaction. Avoid sharing access, avoid suspicious APK files, and do not link the same number to every platform”.

Speaking at the occasion, Professor P.K. Malik, Government College Sidhrawali, said, ‘India’s youth can play an important role in spreading awareness against different forms of cybercrime and protecting their families and communities by staying alert and informed.’”

Bajaj Finance Ltd (BFL), India’s largest non-banking financial company in the private sector, and a part of Bajaj Finserv is organising a nationwide financial literacy and cyber fraud awareness programme which aims to inform digital users about different types of threats, and best practices to safeguard finances.

The nationwide campaign is aligned with the Reserve Bank of India’s 2024 guidelines on Fraud Risk management for NBFCs, which emphasizes early detection, staff accountability, and public engagement to make the digital ecosystem safer for everyone.

The nationwide awareness programme offers the cyber community valuable safety tips on safeguarding personal and sensitive information. This includes refraining from sharing OTPs, PINs, clicking on suspicious emails, SMSs, links, QR codes and downloading applications from unknown sources. It includes a series of interactive workshops, digital awareness drives, and community outreach programs across major cities and towns.

The programme is focused on drawing citizens’ attention to common financial frauds committed by scammers including fake social media accounts, WhatsApp groups and websites that mimic financial companies, falsely claiming affiliation and impersonating their employees.

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According to Combatting fraud in a perfect storm, cyber fraud now dominates both prevalence and materiality globally, amplifying all other risks. Procurement, abuse of authority, and third-party frauds follow close behind as the most prevalent types worldwide. Yet they remain chronically underreported, particularly in SMEs and the public sector.

Drawing on responses from over 2,000 professionals and 31 roundtable discussions around the world, the study – launched during International Fraud Awareness Week – shows how fraud has become industrialised, converging across value and supply chains and outpacing conventional controls.

Md. Sajid Khan, Director – India at ACCA said: ‘Fraud is no longer isolated or opportunistic. AI has accelerated its scale and speed while lagging governance and siloed accountability still allow it to thrive in organisation’s processes and architecture. We need to start asking harder questions: Where are the blind spots? Who owns prevention? And how do we make integrity measurable?

In collaboration with ACFE, IIA, CISI, ISC2, Airmic and ACi, the report introduces a new Prevalence vs Materiality matrix lens to help organisations make better decisions about allocating resources before fraud diminishes them. Through its companion Calls to Action and Thematic Typology, the report also provides new guidance on assessing what works and doesn’t – and crucially how to incorporate behavioural insights into risk governance, moving fraud prevention from compliance theatre to operational reality.

Key findings:

·         Cyberfraud ranks highest for both prevalence and materiality, 39% and 38% respectively, overall, acting as an amplifier for every other form of fraud and interconnecting with harder-to-stop frauds like crypto-linked crimes.

·         The survey showed that despite rising prevalence, only 10% of crypto fraud cases are referred to law enforcement – the lowest referral rate of any fraud type.

·         Organised crime networks professionalising “fraud-as-a-service”: fast-moving, AI-powered and cross-border operations outpacing traditional defences.

·         Procurement, abuse of authority and, third-party frauds are silent drains on value, often under-reported like many internal frauds, and misclassified as “operational leakage”.

·         Cultural weakness and siloed accountability allow fraud to persist:  while 62% of respondents agree that fraud awareness training is important, only 57% believe their organisation proactively looks for fraud and that drops to 51% for accountancy professionals, who emphasised fraud is silently eroding trust and organisational value.

·         The survey found that the ease of reporting averaged 70% across fraud types even though fraud risk management maturity and trust in anti-fraud measures varied significantly by region, sector, teams and seniority.

Dr Roger Miles, behavioural scientist and member of ACCA’s special interest group on fraud, added that ACCA’s report is a “wake-up call” no organisations can ignore. ‘The Fear of Finding Out (FOFO) is a major barrier to fraud awareness. We’ve reached a watershed moment where we’ve got to deeply question the truth of the bookkeeping in front of us.’

The report calls for a collective reset, one that embeds proactive detection, strengthens accountability, and builds cultures where raising concerns is safe and expected. It emphasises that combating modern fraud requires uniting disciplines, modernising oversight and making integrity measurable.

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The campaign uses relatable scenarios to address the social stigma & embarrassment that often accompany falling victim to online scams

Mumbai, India, (December 2024) – Indian Bank has launched an innovative digital campaign titled ‘Khabar Nahi, Khabardar Bano’ to educate customers about the growing threat of cyber frauds and empower them with preventive measures. Conceptualized by Goldmine Advertising, the bank’s Digital Agency on Record, the campaign uses relatable scenarios to address the social stigma and embarrassment that often accompany falling victim to online scams.

With the rise in digital transactions across India, cases of cybercrime and payment fraud have become increasingly prevalent. Through this campaign, Indian Bank aims to create awareness about different types of fraud while equipping customers with practical tips to safeguard themselves. This series of engaging films highlights various cyber threats and underscores the importance of vigilance in the digital age.

Imran Khan Hanafi, Group Creative Director at Goldmine Advertising shared, “Each film delves into a specific type of fraud, offering viewers clear insights on how to identify and avoid these scams. The campaign taps into the relatable insight that becoming a victim of fraud often leads to social scrutiny, using humour and authenticity to deliver a memorable message.”

Shivani Desai, Associate Vice President – Brand Solutions at Goldmine Advertising added, “There’s a deep-rooted fear of judgment that stops people from talking openly about online scams. Our goal was to not just make films, but also raise awareness while connecting personally with people. We wanted to build a connection with viewers while offering practical advice that feels approachable rather than overwhelming.”

The films take a light-hearted yet impactful approach, ensuring the message resonates with a wide audience.

Watch the films here:

Film 1 – OTP Scam

Film 2 – QR Code Scam

Indian Bank remains committed to ensuring the safety of its customers in the digital banking ecosystem. Through ‘Khabar Nahi, Khabardar Bano,’ the bank continues to reinforce its dedication to building a secure and informed banking community.

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