KURNOOL: Cyber criminals are striking frequently not only the unsuspecting but also educated and tech-savvy individuals. On an average, nearly 180 people per day are becoming victims of cyber fraud across Andhra Pradesh.
Despite growing awareness, fraudsters continue to evolve new methods, leaving even the police surprised at the sophistication of these scams.
Just a week ago in Nandyal, a retired employee Shankar Rao received a late-night call from a person posing as an employee of APSPDCL. The caller claimed that his electricity supply will be disconnected due to non-payment of dues and sent a link for immediate payment. The moment he clicked the link, ₹1.70 lakh got siphoned off from his bank account.
“I was half asleep when I received the call. He spoke very confidently and even warned that my power supply would be permanently disconnected. I didn’t suspect anything. Within minutes of clicking the link, my entire savings had vanished,” said Shankar Rao, still in shock over the loss.
“Digital arrest” frauds on the rise
Earlier, victims had been duped into sharing OTPs. Now, criminals have upgraded their tactics. In so-called “digital arrest” scams, victims receive calls claiming that their son has been caught in a drug case and will be released only if money is transferred immediately. Panic-stricken families end up transferring large sums without verification.
₹2 lakh lost to voice cloning
In Annamayya district, fraudsters recently used AI-based voice cloning technology to cheat a victim of ₹2 lakh. Criminals collect voice samples from social media platforms, such as YouTube and WhatsApp. They clone the voice using AI tools, and impersonate friends or relatives to seek urgent financial help.
“It had clearly been my friend’s voice. He said there is an emergency and he needed money urgently. Without any doubt, I transferred ₹2 lakh. When I called him later, he said he never asked for money. That’s when I realised I had been cheated,” the victim P. Mohan said.
Duping devotees booking rooms at temples
Fraudsters are successfully targeting devotees by floating fake websites offering accommodation at major pilgrimage centres, such as Tirumala, Srisailam and Mahanandi. In the latest incident ahead of the Maha Shivaratri festival, several devotees had been duped with promises of rooms.
‘8th CPC Salary Calculator’ trap
Taking advantage of discussions surrounding the proposed 8th Central Pay Commission, cyber criminals are targeting Central government employees and pensioners. Fraudsters circulate WhatsApp messages titled “8th CPC Salary Calculator” promising to calculate expected salary hikes.
“I thought it was a genuine government update about the 8th Pay Commission. The message looked official. After installing the app, I started receiving debit alerts. By the time I realised, ₹50,000 had already been withdrawn,” said Parameswara Rao of Nandaluru in Kadapa district.
Police investigations reveal that such scams involve well-designed fake websites, multiple bank accounts, and virtual phone numbers. Many of these operations are reportedly traced to northern states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, making recovery and arrests challenging for AP police.
Kurnool SP Vikrant Patil has advised citizens not to click unknown links, websites, or PDF files, or transfer money based on calls from unfamiliar numbers or cloned voices.
AP Cybercrime Statistics – 2025
Category Numbers
Total Complaints Received 62,414
FIRs Registered 2,332
Total Amount Lost ₹815 crore
Amount Recovered ₹3 crore
Amount Frozen in Fraud
Accounts ₹98 crore
Average Victims Daily 180
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
