Surge in Cybercrime in Kashmir: Authorities Warn of Growing Threats

New Delhi, India Aug 28, 2026 ALN: The smartphone that brings the world to the palm is also opening a new battlefield for crime, with cyber fraudsters increasingly turning Kashmir’s expanding digital footprint into a hunting ground for deception, manipulation and financial theft.

From fake calls and fraudulent links to bogus investment schemes, impersonation, fake customer-care numbers and social-media traps, cybercriminals are constantly changing their methods to stay ahead of unsuspecting victims.

In an exclusive interview, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), Zonal Cyber Police Kashmir, Nasir Kirmani said the rapid growth of the internet and social-media usage has brought a corresponding surge in cybercrime, describing the emerging threat as a “cybercrime typhoon” that requires greater public awareness and quicker reporting.

Kirmani noted that elderly people and youth are particularly vulnerable, although scammers use different approaches to target the two groups. “Elderly victims can be exploited through impersonation and fear-based calls, while young people are frequently exposed to fraudulent investment opportunities, fake employment offers, online shopping scams, gaming-related fraud and social-media schemes,” he said.

The fraudsters increasingly rely on psychological manipulation rather than sophisticated hacking alone. “A caller may pose as a police officer, bank employee, government official or customer-care executive and create a sense of urgency, convincing the victim that immediate action is necessary,” he explained.

In other cases, victims are promised easy money through part-time jobs, investments or online trading. A small initial return may even be paid to establish credibility before the fraudsters persuade the victim to invest larger amounts.

The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre has also warned about fraudulent investment platforms in which scammers use mule bank accounts to receive victims’ money, sometimes making initial payouts to gain trust before cutting off communication. One of the most worrying components of the cybercrime ecosystem is the growing use of mule accounts.

“These are bank accounts or other financial channels used to receive, transfer or layer proceeds of crime. Account holders may knowingly participate for commissions, while some can be recruited through seemingly legitimate offers of easy earnings,” Kirmani said.

“Once money is stolen, it can be moved rapidly through a chain of accounts, making the trail increasingly difficult to follow. The faster the money moves, the harder it becomes to intercept.”

Cybercriminal networks are also exploiting social-media accounts themselves. An I4C advisory has warned about scams in which people are offered commissions for linking their WhatsApp accounts through QR codes, after which the accounts can be effectively rented out and abused for phishing, payment fraud and other illegal activities.

Kirmani stressed that time is the most valuable weapon available to a cyber-fraud victim. He said the “golden hour” immediately after a fraudulent transaction is crucial, as swift reporting can enable the cyber police and financial institutions to trace the transaction and initiate efforts to freeze the money before it is transferred through multiple layers.

The national cybercrime system specifically advises victims of financial cyber fraud to call 1930 immediately, with the helpline available round the clock. The official cybercrime portal also allows victims to register complaints and provides facilities to report suspicious mobile numbers, bank accounts, UPI IDs, websites, social-media handles and other identifiers linked to suspected cybercrime.

The range of frauds is widening by the day. Digital arrest scams use fear of police action or arrest to force victims into transferring money. Fake investment platforms promise extraordinary returns. Job scams demand registration or processing fees. Phishing links harvest banking credentials. Fake customer-care numbers lure people into sharing sensitive information. QR-code and UPI scams exploit digital payment habits, while account-takeover schemes can give criminals access to victims’ social-media networks.

That is precisely why awareness remains the first line of defence. Kirmani urged people never to share OTPs, PINs, passwords, banking credentials or other sensitive information with unknown callers. Any demand involving money, account suspension, arrest, investment or urgent verification should be independently checked through an official channel.

For victims, however, the most important message remains simple: do not wait and do not feel embarrassed. Dial 1930 immediately. A cyber fraud may begin with nothing more than a phone ringing in a quiet room, a message appearing on a screen or a link arriving on WhatsApp. But behind that seemingly ordinary interaction could be a sophisticated network waiting to exploit a moment of trust. And once money leaves the account, every passing minute matters.