There was a surge in cybercrime cases in 2022 with a jump of 24.4% compared to the number of cognisable offences registered the previous year, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data released on Sunday, which found that relatively richer states of Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra accounted for more than half of these cases.

In all, 65,983 cases of cybercrimes were registered across the country in 2022, a significant jump from the 52,974 logged in 2021 — when the number itself had grown by 11.8% from 2020.

These numbers relate to crimes involving the use of computers or the internet as a method to perpetuate the crime or target the victims on. Offences include those registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well the Information Technology Act, and cover crimes such as frauds, ransomware and impersonation.

The cybercrime rate increased from 3.9 cases per hundred thousand people in 2021 to 4.8 in 2022, the report said. Among the states, Telangana had the highest cybercrime rate of 40.4 followed by 18.6 in Karnataka and 6.6 in Maharashtra. The lowest cybercrime rate was in Himachal and Madhya Pradesh followed by Bihar, if one excluded north-eastern states.

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The latest figures are in line with a clear rise in cybercrimes, which experts have correlated with increased internet and mobile use penetration. In the last decade, the cybercrimes increased from 3,693 cases in 2012 to 65,893 and this period witnessed mobile internet users increasing from around 12.5% of the population to around 76.6%, telecom ministry data shared with Parliament showed.

India has a National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal for people to report the most common kinds of cybercrime, such as thefts from bank accounts and mobile wallet frauds. Data from this portal suggested that not as many cases are being registered as are being reported: Between January 2020 and December, 7, 2022, the portal had received 1.6 million complaints of cyber crimes and only 32,000 of these complaints ended in police cases, data from the reporting portal found.

The data, disclosed in a Union home ministry Right to Information (RTI) response, showed that Delhi recorded only 1.2% of the 216,739 cybercrime complaints received between January 2022 and March 2023. In case of some other states, the ministry said Telangana registered cases in 17% of these complaints, Karnataka in about 18%, Meghalaya eight percent, Assam 2.7% and Tamil Nadu 2.2%.

The RTI findings were reflected to some extent in NRCB report. The highest number of cybercrime cases recorded was in Telangana (15,297), followed by Karnataka (12,556) and Maharashtra (8249). These three states also had the highest cyber crime rate in the country.

A Karnataka police official said that they have special anti-cyber crime cells in each district and were using technology to check IT-based crime. “We are running campaigns to create awareness about cyber crimes also,” he said.

Even when cases are registered, investigation is not easy. The report also pointed that “lack of evidence” resulted in closure of 22,479 “true” cyber-crime cases in 2022.

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The NCRB report indicated that states from where cybercrimes, especially cyber frauds, originate, has low recording of cyber-crimes.

For instance, Jharkhand, home to infamous Jamtara town to where many frauds have been traced, reported only 967 cases, in 2022, a decline from 953 casesin 2021. Haryana, where another cyberfraud hotbed Nuh is located, recorded 681 cases (up from 622) and Rajasthan, which includes Bharatpur and Alwar — again regions from where many fraudsters operate — recorded 1,833 cases, down from 1,504.

According to a home ministry analysis for cybercrimes in 2021, these districts, along with Mathura, were where more than 70% of the cyber frauds registered that year were traced back to. “These are the districts from where most cyber-crimes are committed,” an official said.

A Jharkhand police official said cases are registered by the victims who may be in a different city, state or country. “Within the state, complaints of cyber-frauds are not very high as compared to several richer states,” the official said.

Director general, crime investigation department (CID), Anurag Gupta said the Jharkhand police are taking all measures to curb cybercrime. “I haven’t seen the latest data so I can’t comment on the new trend. However, we are registering cases regularly. Around 70 cases have been registered in past two weeks and around 150 accused have been arrested. We are ensuing their conviction, seizure of property,” he said.

Shatrujeet Singh Kapur, Haryana director general of police (DGP), said cybercrime has increased in the last few years due to increased usage of the internet. “We are providing expert training to our cybercrime officials to ensure they can track the fraud originating from Rajasthan, West Bengal and Jharkhand. The number of awareness campaigns has been increased to give people information about cyber security so that they remain alert and do not share personal information related to bank accounts with anyone,” he said.

Superintendent of police of Bharatpur, Shyam Singh, said Mewat region of Bharatpur has been hub of cybercrime due to illiteracy, economic impoverishment, lack of employment opportunities and interest in crime. “Earlier they were called tatlubaaz (fraudster) who cheated people by selling fake gold bricks (yellow metal bricks), now many of them are into cybercrimes. We are constantly keeping a watch on them,” he said.

A detailed analysis of the cases lodged show that during 2022, 64.8% of cyber-crime cases registered were with the motive of fraud (42,710 out of 65,893 cases) followed by extortion with 5.5% (3,648 cases) and sexual Exploitation with 5.2% (3,434 cases). A state-wise analysis showed that in close to 90% of the cyber-crime cases recorded in Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra were related to cyberfrauds whereas in Uttar Pradesh and Assam, a good number (up to 20%), were for extortion and sexual exploitation.

Andhra Pradesh recorded 28 cases of bringing disrepute to public servants under cyber-crimes, highest for any state in the country. Uttar Pradesh had highest number of cyber cases under the category of “political motives.” Only cases were recorded for using internet for terror activities in 2022, the report showed.