Con Banega Crorepati

Gujaratis lose Rs 787 crore to cyber fraud in 7 months; cops urge citizens to stay vigilant, not give in to lure of becoming crorepati by dubious offers

- Sarfaraz.Shaikh

Official data shows that cyber criminals are robbing an average of Rs 26,052 per minute from unsuspecting Gujaratis, far exceeding the average monthly salary of Rs 18,880. In the first seven months of 2024, a staggering Rs 787.83 crore has been siphoned off from bank accounts of this state’s residents, placing Gujarat third in the nation for falling prey to cyber fraud, behind Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

DGP Vikas Sahay acknowledges the immense challenge of nabbing these criminals, particularly those involved in major financial scams. “We consistently track and freeze accounts used to transfer stolen funds,” says Sahay.