ANIL KUMAR MISHRA
A WhatsApp call, an authoritative voice, a badge you cannot verify — and within hours, a lifetime of savings is gone.
That is exactly what happened to a Quepem resident who picked up his phone one ordinary day, only to find himself facing a fake ‘arrest’. The caller, posing as a Crime Branch officer from Mumbai, accused him of involvement in a money laundering case. Forged arrest warrants and fabricated bank statements appeared on his screen, lending the scam a terrifying air of legitimacy. Paralysed by fear, the man transferred Rs 61.84 lakh, believing it would make the nightmare end. It did not.
In Panjim, another resident received a similar WhatsApp call. This time, the fraudsters looped in accomplices impersonating CBI officers and even a magistrate. By the time the victim realised he had been conned, Rs 60 lakh had vanished. Police eventually traced one suspect to Satara in Maharashtra and discovered that the same bank account was linked to 12 other cyber fraud cases across five states, with total losses of approximately Rs 3.10 crore.
These are not isolated incidents; they are symptoms of an epidemic.
“CYBERCRIME CASES
82 (2023) | 85 (2024) | 131 (2025)
1,500+ cyber fraud complaints filed in the first 4 months of 2026
53 FIRs registered; 111 e-Zero FIRs recorded since February 2026
Rs 61.84 lakh lost in a single ‘digital arrest’ case; another victim lost Rs 60 lakh
Rs 500+ crore lost in 7 months to fraudulent investment schemes
Estimated total losses may range between Rs 800 crore and Rs 1,000 crore
442 web links, 168 social media accounts, 866 mobile numbers blocked by authorities”
The steady rise in cybercrime cases in Goa reflects the rapid digitalisation of financial transactions and communication, coupled with the increasing sophistication of online fraudsters. Today, people are extensively using UPI platforms, online banking, and e-commerce applications, but awareness regarding digital safety has not grown at the same pace… Investigation agencies face practical challenges in tracing digital evidence, freezing fraudulent transactions, and identifying the actual perpetrators
– Advocate Eeshan Usapkar
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“Goans have substantial savings, but they must be careful not to invest in the wrong places. More than Rs 500 crore of the hard-earned money of Goans has been siphoned off through investment scams alone”
– Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister
Cybercriminals are no longer operating as isolated individuals. Many frauds are executed by highly organised interstate and international syndicates. Cyber fraud should not be viewed merely as a technological challenge. It is now a major economic, psychological, legal, and national security concern affecting individuals, businesses, and institutions
– G Vimal Kumar, Cyber forensics & investigation expert
Official data tabled in the State Legislative Assembly tells a stark story — cybercrime cases in Goa rose from 82 in 2023 to 85 in 2024, before surging to 131 in 2025. This year, more than 1,500 cyber fraud complaints have been filed across the state in just the first four months of 2026.
The Cyber Crime Police Station has recorded 53 FIRs, while 111 e-Zero FIRs have been registered since February alone.
Behind the surge in cybercrime lies an even grimmer picture of financial fraud. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has warned that Goans have lost over Rs 500 crore in just seven months to fraudulent investment schemes — chit funds and other dubious ventures dangling promises of ‘doubling’ money. When smaller, underreported cases are included, he said, the true toll could be between Rs 800 crore and Rs 1,000 crore.
“Goans have substantial savings, but they must be careful not to invest in the wrong places,” Sawant cautioned. “More than Rs 500 crore of the hard-earned money of Goans has been siphoned off through investment scams alone.” Many of these operations, he stressed, are run from overseas — in Dubai and in London — by individuals who exploit trust and greed from thousands of kilometres away.
The ‘digital arrest’ scam — where criminals impersonate law enforcement, fabricate charges of serious offences, and demand money under the pretence of bail or verification — is only one weapon in a growing arsenal.
Task-based scams lure victims through WhatsApp, Telegram, or SMS with offers of easy money for liking videos or reviewing products. Initial small payments build trust; then come demands for deposits, after which the scammer disappears.
Foreign job scams promise high salaries and fast placements abroad, only to bleed victims dry through fake visa fees and processing charges. Investment scams — perhaps the most financially ruinous — deploy fake financial advisors pushing stocks, cryptocurrency, or proprietary ‘schemes’, allowing small withdrawals at first before the trap closes.
“Cybercriminals are no longer operating as isolated individuals. Many frauds are executed by highly organised interstate and international syndicates.”
– G Vimal Kumar
“Cyber fraud should not be viewed merely as a technological challenge. It is now a major economic, psychological, legal, and national security concern affecting individuals, businesses, and institutions.”
– G Vimal Kumar
“The steady rise in cybercrime cases in Goa reflects the rapid digitalisation of financial transactions and communication, coupled with the increasing sophistication of online fraudsters.”
– Advocate Eeshan Usapkar
“Today, people are extensively using UPI platforms, online banking, and e-commerce applications, but awareness regarding digital safety has not grown at the same pace.”
– Advocate Eeshan Usapkar
Goa Police have not been idle. The Cyber Crime Police Station at Ribandar, along with cyber response cells in every police station, has been equipped with platforms including Cyber Police, Sammanvay, Pratibimb and Sayog.
Since the surge began, authorities have blocked 442 web links, 168 social media accounts, and 866 mobile numbers linked to fraud. Officers are receiving training through the Central Detective Training Institute and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).
The Cyber Branch has also launched awareness campaigns in temples, churches, mosques, and other religious institutions, deliberately targeting senior citizens and those least familiar with the digital world.
“The future of cybercrime prevention depends on proactive awareness, robust cyber forensic capabilities, coordinated investigation mechanisms, and responsible digital behaviour by society as a whole.”
– G Vimal Kumar
No government agency will demand money over the phone. No OTP, banking detail, or personal information should ever be shared with unknown callers. If an investment promises to double your money, treat it as a threat, not an opportunity.
If you suspect you have been targeted, report it immediately to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or call the cybercrime helpline at 1930.
In Goa today, your savings are a target. Your phone is the door. Vigilance is the only lock
