Top News

WhatsApp tops cyber scam charts with 44,000 complaints in 2024
01 Jan 2025

WhatsApp, Telegram, and Instagram emerged as the leading platforms for cyber frauds in India last year. This information comes from a recent report by the Union Home Ministry.

The report highlights how these social media platforms are often exploited by online scammers.

In the first quarter of 2024 alone, a staggering number of complaints were lodged against these platforms due to cyber fraud incidents.

A look at the complaints
Statistics

The Union Home Ministry's report reveals that WhatsApp topped the list of platforms with maximum complaints regarding cyber frauds.

In merely three months of 2024, as many as 43,797 complaints were filed against the platform.

Telegram and Instagram followed closely with 22,680 and 19,800 complaints, respectively.

The numbers indicate the prominent role these platforms play in enabling online scams in India.

Cybercriminals exploit Google services for initiating scams
Scam tactics

The MHA report also highlights how cybercriminals are using Google's services to launch their fraudulent activities.

They utilize the Google Advertisement platform, which provides a handy facility for targeted advertisements from across the border.

One such scam, the "Pig Butchering Scam" or "Investment Scam," is a global phenomenon of large-scale money laundering and even cyber slavery.

Google and Facebook join forces with Indian authorities
Collaborative efforts

In the wake of these cyber threats, tech giants Google and Facebook have partnered with Indian authorities. They are sharing intelligence for proactive actions such as flagging digital lending apps.

The report also states that organized cybercriminals widely use sponsored Facebook ads to launch illegal lending apps in India.

These links are proactively identified and shared with Facebook for necessary action.