A recent report by the Union Home Ministry states that WhatsApp, Telegram, and Instagram have emerged as the leading platforms for cyber frauds in India last year. The report further highlights how these social media platforms are often exploited by online scammers.
In the first quarter of 2024 alone, a large number of complaints were lodged against these platforms due to cyber fraud incidents. There was a total of 43,797 complaints of cyber fraud related to WhatsApp, 22,680 against Telegram, and 19,800 regarding Instagram.
The report further highlights that cyber fraudsters are increasingly using Google services, especially the Google Advertisement platform, to run scams targeting users across borders. One of the common scams reported is the ‘Pig Butchering Scam’ or ‘Investment Scam’, which is a global issue involving money laundering and even cyber slavery.
“Vulnerable groups such as unemployed youth, housewives, students, and people in financial need are being lured into these scams, often losing large amounts of money, including borrowed funds,” the report reads.
To address the rising online frauds, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has partnered with platforms like Google and Facebook to share intelligence, identify and block illegal digital lending apps, and combat the abuse of platforms such as Google’s Firebase (used for hosting).
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