The Rise of Mobile Scams: Why Secure Digital Habits Are Key to Financial Trust

India’s digital landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation, and over 800 million Indian users, mainly consisting of the rural populations, have been relying on the internet for banking, shopping, education, and entertainment. This is a tremendous growth in digital adoption, but with the growth and convenience of digital, cybercriminals have a chance to attack a huge number of people. There is a rise in cyberattacks that have targeted the national-level security of individuals globally.

The real threat of mobile scams:

Here’s a list of reports that paint a concerning picture for Indian mobile users.

In just the first 5 months of 2025 (January-May), Indians have reportedly lost over INR 7000 crore to online scams, most of which were managed by operators from Southeast Asia.

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) recorded over 19 lakh cybercrime complaints in 2024 alone, with a significant proportion involving financial fraud.

In 2024, India suffered a loss of INR 22,842 crores to cybercrime and financial fraud. If the cyberattack trends continue the way they are going, we are looking at an annual loss exceeding this amount.

These figures highlight the urgency of adopting cybersecurity practices and the need for public awareness about digital threats.

How do cyberattacks work?

Cybercriminals have been adopting sophisticated tactics to deceive mobile users. They place phishing SMSes, emails, and links as common traps. Most of these messages contain fake investment schemes or use immediate action required bait to trap victims.

AI-driven scams and deepfakes are new, innovative ways that scammers are using to create new cyberattacks. A type of deepfake is voice phishing, also known as vishing, where criminals replicate the voices of users' acquaintances to manipulate them into sending money or sharing their data.

Another new scam called digital arrests has many new victims. This involves representing themselves as an authority figure, like a police officer or government official. The victim is subject to a psychological attack and threatened that there is a drug or money laundering case registered against them. The victims are asked to pay huge sums of money to get their names cleared. Apart from this, malicious APK files, disguised as official government or bank services, have also been used to steal our personal information and financial credentials.

Mobile users need to adopt secure digital habits, and here’s how!

• Exercise caution with unsolicited messages and emails, avoid links, and do not open attachments or files from unknown sources. Always verify unexpected requests for money or personal information through official channels.
• Do not panic and make uninformed decisions. Always check with banks or official sources if you have received any message from the authorities demanding money.
• Install a 360-degree mobile security application that alerts you to insecure links, messages, and calls and detects any hidden malware on your phone. Apps like CYBX offer you cyber protection as a digital companion with features like phishing and malware detection, fully secure calling, privacy and data protection, as well as India’s first mobile cybersecurity insurance in case you meet a financial fraud despite those alerts. A normal antivirus application is not sufficient to protect against evolving threats.
• Continuous education and awareness are equally important; staying informed about common scams and sharing this knowledge with friends and family can help build a more vigilant community.
• Always report any suspicious activity that looks like a scam to keep others aware as well. Digital safety is a shared duty, and we should let authorities know of losses and unsafe calls or messages. Platforms like the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) enable authorities to take timely action and prevent further losses. Apart from informing authorities, we should instantly call cybercrime helplines on 1930 and 1945 to immediately freeze our bank accounts and report potential fraud.
• Stay updated on the recent developments in cybercrime and take part in awareness campaigns. Enabling multi-factor authenticators for all financial and other accounts is helpful and crucial. They add an additional layer of security that blocks unauthorized access.

Step towards a digitally safe future!

The future might bring newer and more sophisticated forms of cyberattacks. However, if we adopt security measures from our end as mobile users, we can stay safe. Individuals can play a very important role in creating a digitally secure environment while practicing digital hygiene. In an era where mobile devices hold our financial information, personal data, and even our identities, fostering caution and taking action are key to maintaining financial trust and protecting ourselves from the growing menace of mobile scams.

(This article is authored by Srinivas L, Joint MD and Joint CEO of 63SATS Cybertech)