MUMBAI: People in the city lost Rs 155 crore to digital arrest scams alone in 2025, a 33% surge compared to the previous year. The spike occurred despite a marginal dip in the number of registered cases, from 195 digital scams in 2024 to 191 in 2025. Investment scams, job frauds, and digital arrest scams collectively accounted for 28% of all cyber offenses in the city last year. Cybersecurity experts warn that access to AI tools has altered the criminal landscape and scams are likely to increase manifold.“AI just turned cybercrime into something anyone can do. We are not talking about sophisticated crime syndicates anymore. Today, someone with a smartphone and access to plug-and-play AI models can run scams that used to require entire BPO-style operations. The barrier to entry has collapsed,” said Sundareshwar Krishnamurthy, partner & India cyber leader, PwC India. While law enforcement has intensified its crackdown, the battle remains uphill. Mumbai Police data indicates that the detection rate for investment, job, and digital arrest scams combined rose from 23% in 2024 to 29% in 2025. However, arrests are frequently limited to the “beneficiaries” operating mule accounts, while the masterminds continue to operate with impunity from overseas. “With AI-based calls, scam attempts are going to increase exponentially. We need specific legislation to address AI-driven crimes,” said cybersecurity expert Nikhil Mahadeshwar.Research conducted by PwC in 2023 in collaboration with Stop Scams UK highlights that AI tools can be utilised to sift through large volumes of data to identify potential victims and tailor fraudulent content to an individual’s specific vulnerabilities. For instance, AI tools can identify an individual’s employment details or family circumstances or where they have been on holiday recently to craft highly convincing personalised scam messages.The human cost of this technological shift is being felt most acutely by the elderly. Mahadeshwar pointed out that while govt awareness campaigns are ongoing, senior citizens remain uniquely vulnerable due to challenges in maintaining cyber hygiene. “Many struggle to comprehend what a malicious APK file is, or how to enable two-factor authentication, or verify if an email password has been compromised. This vulnerability is being exploited by scammers who are constantly evolving,” he said.In a recent case, fraudsters swindled a senior citizen of Rs 16 lakh by convincing him that he was the subject of an “NIA investigation into the Delhi blasts” and coercing him to download an encrypted communication platform which could conceal their digital trail.Despite a 5% dip in overall registration of cybercrime in Mumbai — from 5,087 cases in 2024 to 4,825 cases in 2025 — the financial impact is undeniable. Police data shows that Mumbaikars lost Rs 1,031 crore to all cybercrimes in 2025. DCP (cyber) Purushottam Karad has a simple piece of advice for the elderly: “There is no provision for digital arrest in Indian law. Don’t trust what a stranger online says.” To their families, he advises, “If a senior citizen behaves differently, talk to them and find out what is wrong.“
