At the core of this rise is Bengaluru, the State’s technology hub and India’s leading IT city. The city alone recorded 17,631 cybercrime cases in 2023, making it the highest in the country. Among metropolitan cities, Bengaluru accounted for more than half—51.92%—of all cases across the 19 metros. Hyderabad followed at a distant second with 4,855 cases. The scale of the issue in Bengaluru is striking, with its cybercrime rate standing at 207.4 cases per lakh population, a figure more than seven times higher than the national average.
The upward trend is evident in recent years. From 6,423 cases in 2021 to 9,940 in 2022, Bengaluru witnessed a sharp escalation, crossing 17,600 cases in 2023. Data indicates that fraud and sexual exploitation remain the primary motives behind the crimes. Although Karnataka logged a marginal increase to 22,468 cybercrime cases in 2024, the trajectory in 2025 has shown a slight decline, with 7,293 cases reported halfway through the year. Police officials, however, caution that while case numbers may be lower, the sophistication of scams and the financial impact on victims continue to intensify.
Despite the surge in reporting, conviction rates remain alarmingly low. In 2023, Karnataka recorded only 44 convictions, including cases from previous years, alongside 60 acquittals. In Bengaluru, less than 0.3% of cases resulted in conviction, raising concerns about deterrence and enforcement effectiveness. Experts argue that the shortage of skilled cybercrime investigators is one of the key reasons behind the poor conviction rates.
Senior police officers attribute the State’s high numbers to multiple factors: poor cyber hygiene, inadequate awareness, and a constantly evolving modus operandi by fraudsters. Bengaluru’s status as an IT hub also contributes, with a mixed population engaging heavily in investment platforms, e-commerce, and online trading. This has led to an increase in scams such as investment fraud and courier-related cons, often targeting educated individuals seeking higher returns.
Cybersecurity experts warn that insufficient awareness programs and the lack of inter-State collaboration in investigations allow fraudsters to escape accountability. They emphasize that Karnataka’s newly developed Cyber Command Unit (CCU) could become a game-changer in strengthening the State’s response, particularly following the High Court’s directive to enhance its capabilities.
Karnataka’s experience underscores a larger national challenge—while cybercrime continues to escalate, enforcement, awareness, and conviction efforts must evolve to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated digital frauds.
