Rajasthan’s Bharatpur and Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura have taken over from Jharkhand’s Jamtara and Haryana’s Nuh as the new epicenters of cybercrime in India, according to a recent study conducted by a startup incubated at IIT Kanpur. This study also revealed that the top 10 districts are responsible for a whopping 80 percent of cybercrimes in the country. The findings were published in a comprehensive white paper titled ‘A Deep Dive into Cybercrime Trends Impacting India’ by the Future Crime Research Foundation (FCRF), a non-profit startup associated with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Kanpur.
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Bharatpur (18 percent), Mathura (12 percent), Nuh (11 percent), Deoghar (10 percent), Jamtara (9.6 percent), Gurugram (8.1 percent), Alwar (5.1 percent), Bokaro (2.4 percent), Karma Tand (2.4 percent), and Giridih (2.3 percent) are the primary contributors to cybercrime cases in India, collectively accounting for 80 percent of reported incidents, as per FCRF’s findings.
The FCRF emphasized the need to understand the factors that make these districts vulnerable to cybercrime, which include their proximity to major urban centers, limited cybersecurity infrastructure, economic challenges, and low digital literacy. To combat cybercrime effectively in these regions, the FCRF suggested implementing targeted awareness campaigns, bolstering law enforcement resources, and launching educational initiatives.
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The study also highlighted the emergence of new cybercrime hotspots that demand proactive measures from both the public and authorities. These regions are witnessing a surge in digital criminal activities, often catching law enforcement and the public off guard.
The increase in cybercrime cases is attributed to several factors, including low technical barriers that allow individuals with limited expertise to engage in illicit activities using readily available hacking tools and malware. Inadequate Know Your Customer (KYC) and verification processes on online platforms enable criminals to create fake identities, making it challenging for law enforcement to trace them. Additionally, easy access to fake accounts and rented SIM cards on the black market allows criminals to operate anonymously, complicating tracking and prosecution efforts.
The affordability of AI-driven cyberattack tools empowers criminals to automate and scale their attacks, increasing their efficiency. Virtual private networks (VPNs) provide anonymity for cybercriminals, making it difficult for authorities to trace their online presence and location. The FCRF also raised concerns about the recruitment and training of unemployed or underemployed individuals by cybercrime syndicates, creating a growing pool of potential criminals.
