The data comes amid a nationwide rise in complaints about online investment fraud, digital arrest scams, loan app fraud, phishing, impersonation, and fraudulent links circulated through messaging and social media platforms. (Ai-generated image)With 1.85 lakh cyber fraud complaints registered in the first six months of this year, Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number in the country, followed by Maharashtra with 1.58 lakh, Karnataka with 1.21 lakh, Gujarat with 97,937, and Bihar with 93,137, The Indian Express has learnt.Data on cyber fraud and measures to prevent it were recently discussed at a meeting chaired by senior officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.At the meeting, officials discussed state-wise financial cyber fraud data, which showed that more than 12.71 lakh complaints were recorded between January 1 and June 30 this year, with complainants reporting alleged fraudulent transactions worth over Rs 10,178 crore, a source said.Also Read | Crackdown on cybercrime: Rs 25,000 crore saved, Rs 323 crore refunded, e-Zero FIR rolled outThe data comes amid a nationwide rise in complaints about online investment fraud, digital arrest scams, loan app fraud, phishing, impersonation, and fraudulent links circulated through messaging and social media platforms.From UP to Tamil NaduThe state-wise data underscores the ongoing scale of financial cybercrime complaints across states, with Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Delhi, and Tamil Nadu among those reporting the highest volumes.“Rajasthan recorded 75,883 complaints, West Bengal 72,439, Delhi 64,496, Tamil Nadu 63,116, and Haryana 58,721,” the source said.In terms of the money lost, Maharashtra recorded the highest cyber fraud amount at Rs 1,637.66 crore, followed by Karnataka (Rs 1,097.37 crore), Tamil Nadu (Rs 897.79 crore), Uttar Pradesh (Rs 734.19 crore), Gujarat (Rs 643.82 crore), Chandigarh (Rs 630.53 crore) and Telangana (Rs 614.18 crore).Story continues below this adAlso Read | Can you protect yourself from cyber fraud? Here are some handy tipsOf the 12.71 lakh complaints recorded nationally, 2.86 lakh were pushed for banking action, while 2.70 lakh complaints were taken up by banks under the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System.Smaller states and Union Territories showed wide variation in the number of complaints. Lakshadweep reported 37 complaints, Ladakh 174, Andaman and Nicobar Islands 406, Mizoram 432, Nagaland 455, Sikkim 537, Arunachal Pradesh 656, and Meghalaya 784.Also Read | Crime cases saw 6% dip but cyber offences rose by 18% in 2024: NCRB dataOf Rs 10,178.97 crore, banks placed liens or holds on Rs 2,968.85 crore, translating into an overall lien rate of 29.17 per cent.Between 2021 and May 2026, people reported cybercrime losses of Rs 64,447 crore. Of this, Rs 10,718 crore was frozen as a lien, while only Rs 323 crore has been refunded to victims, the source said.Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More