Cyber fraud crackdown: Centre blocks over 3,700 mobile apps, saves Rs 11,158 crore
New Delhi, August 11
The Centre has blocked a total of 3,718 mobile applications, including fraudulent loan apps, till June 30, 2026, as part of its efforts to curb cybercrime and protect citizens from online frauds, the Ministry of Home Affairs informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The Ministry also said that a financial amount of more than Rs 11,158 crore has been saved in over 32.80 lakh complaints received through the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS) during the same period.
Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar shared the details in a written reply to a query by BJP MP PC Mohan regarding steps taken by the government to identify and curb illicit, fraudulent and misleading mobile applications, including loan apps, used to cheat citizens.
"Till June 30, 2026, a total of 3,718 mobile apps, including fraudulent loan apps, have been blocked by I4C (Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre) under Section 69(A), Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000. More than 15.75 lakh SIM cards and 5.77 lakh IMEIs, as reported by police authorities, have been blocked by the Government of India," Kumar said.
He informed the House that the CFCFRMS, operated by the I4C and launched in 2021 for immediate reporting of financial frauds, has helped prevent the siphoning off of funds by cyber fraudsters.
"Till June 30, 2026, a financial amount of more than Rs 11,158 crore has been saved in more than 32.80 lakh complaints," the Minister said.
Kumar further stated that the I4C launched a suspect registry of cyber criminals' identifiers on September 10, 2024, in collaboration with banks and financial institutions.
"More than 30.48 lakh suspect identifier data received from banks and 32.08 lakh Layer 1 mule accounts have been shared with the participating entities of Suspect Registry and declined transactions worth Rs 25,698 crore till June 30, 2026," he said.
The Minister also informed that the MHA has issued a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for NCRP-CFCFRMS to improve operational efficiency and ensure uniformity in handling cybercrime complaints.
The SOP provides a framework for complaint processing, coordination with banks, grievance redressal, removal of lien markings and restoration of defrauded funds to victims based on complaints received through the National Cyber Reporting Platform (NCRP) of I4C.
He added that the Money Restoration Module for speedy restoration of defrauded money and the Grievance Redressal Module for addressing issues related to freezing of bank accounts and lien marking have been made operational from April 2026.
Highlighting awareness initiatives, Kumar said the government has undertaken several campaigns, including SMS and caller tune campaigns, social media outreach through CyberDost accounts, TV and radio campaigns, school programmes, cinema advertisements, celebrity endorsements, IPL campaigns and cyber safety awareness weeks in coordination with states and Union Territories.
The Minister said the MHA established the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) as an attached office to deal with all types of cybercrimes in a coordinated manner.
He added that the NCRP was launched under I4C to enable citizens to report cybercrime incidents, with special focus on crimes against women and children. The 'Sahyog' portal was also launched to facilitate faster action against unlawful online content by enabling notices to IT intermediaries under the Information Technology Act.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's good to see action happening, but I wish the government would also focus on spreading awareness more aggressively in rural areas. Cybercrime isn't just a city problem anymore. People in villages are getting scammed too, and they don't even know where to complain. Awareness campaigns need to go deeper.
The 1930 helpline and CFCFRMS have genuinely helped. My friend was defrauded through an investment scam and reported on time. He got his money frozen before it could be moved out. The system works if people report immediately. More people should know about these platforms. Great initiative by I4C! 💪
Blocking apps is one thing, but the real problem is these fraudsters keep creating new apps and SIM cards. 15 lakh SIMs blocked is a lot, but I wonder how many more are still out there. The suspect registry with banks is a smart move though. At least the money trail is being monitored better now.
As an NRI, it's reassuring to see the Indian government taking cyber fraud seriously. I've seen too many NRIs get targeted by scam calls pretending to be from Indian banks or customs. This kind of coordinated action builds trust. Good job, MHA. Keep protecting citizens back home! 🇮🇳
I appreciate the effort, but the awareness campaigns need to be more relatable. Not everyone understands terms like CFCFRMS or I4C. The government should simplify these messages for common people. My parents still don't know how to report a cyber fraud properly. Accessibility matters as much as action.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.