Indians Second Most Targeted Victims in Global Cybercrime

Why in the News ?

A Meta threat report (2026) revealed that Indians are the second most targeted population in the global cybercrime ecosystem. Criminal networks are increasingly using AI-driven scams, spear-phishing, and social media fraud, highlighting growing challenges for digital security and online safety.

Rising Cybercrime Threats Targeting Indians:

• A report by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, revealed that Indians are the second most targeted victims in the rapidly expanding global cybercrime industry.
  
• Cyber fraud has evolved into a large-scale organised industry, resembling corporate-style criminal networks operating across multiple countries.
  
• According to the Adversarial Threat Report (2026), many scam operations are run from large physical compounds in Southeast Asia, particularly in Cambodia and Myanmar.
  
• These centres often have high-speed internet infrastructure and organised criminal networks, sometimes protected by armed groups or militias.
  
• The report highlights that cybercriminal groups are shifting from mass scams to highly targeted attacks, focusing on wealthy individuals or socially influential victims.
  

New Techniques and Emerging Scam Patterns

• Cybercriminals are increasingly using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate realistic images, personalised messages, and culturally tailored content to deceive victims.
  
• One example involved AI-generated pet adoption advertisements, where victims were asked to pay fake veterinary or transportation fees.
  
• Funeral livestream scams were reported in Bangladesh, where scammers targeted families of recently deceased individuals and directed them to fake streaming websites requiring credit card details.
  
• Another scheme involved fake housing rental listings, targeting vulnerable groups such as low-income families and homeless individuals to steal financial and personal data.
  
• Remote work scams promise high wages for simple online tasks, but victims are asked to pay upfront fees for equipment or access, sometimes unknowingly becoming part of money laundering networks.

About Cybercrime and Digital Security:●  Cybercrime refers to illegal activities conducted through computers, digital networks, or the internet, including phishing, identity theft, financial fraud, and data breaches. ●  Phishing and spear-phishing involve sending fraudulent emails or messages designed to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information such as passwords or banking details. ●  International cybercrime networks often operate across multiple jurisdictions, making law enforcement coordination and regulation difficult. ●  Governments and technology companies are introducing cybersecurity tools and public awareness campaigns to reduce online fraud risks. ●  In India, cybercrime is addressed through laws such as the Information Technology Act, 2000, and specialised institutions like the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and cybercrime police units.