Pune: Cyber fraud cases in Pune City have resulted in financial losses of more than ₹961 crore in nearly two-and-a-half years, highlighting the growing scale of online financial crimes and the challenges faced by investigators in recovering stolen money.
According to data from the Pune City Police, victims lost ₹961.15 crore during the period under review. Of this, police recovered ₹23.94 crore, accounting for only around 2.5% of the total losses.
The data shows that while the number of registered cyber fraud cases has fluctuated, fraudsters have continued to target victims through increasingly sophisticated methods, including fake investment platforms, digital arrest threats and impersonation of government and banking officials.
Pune Cyber Fraud: Key Statistics
Total amount lost: ₹961.15 crore
Total amount recovered: ₹23.94 crore
Recovery rate: Around 2.5%
Period: Nearly two-and-a-half years
2024 recorded the highest financial loss, with victims losing ₹446.35 crore across 1,541 cases. In 2025, the number of cases declined to 998, while losses stood at ₹277.38 crore. In 2026, 862 cases have been reported so far, involving losses of ₹237.42 crore.
Despite the large amounts involved, recovery figures remain low. Police recovered ₹17.04 crore in 2024, ₹5.81 crore in 2025 and ₹1.09 crore in 2026.
Recent cases
Fake investment platform costs Pune realtor ₹2.3 crore
In one recent case, an elderly Pune realtor allegedly lost ₹2.3 crore after being lured into investing through a fake stock-trading platform promoted through a Facebook advertisement featuring Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
According to the FIR, the victim initially invested smaller amounts after being contacted through WhatsApp. The fraudsters allegedly displayed fake profits on the platform and transferred ₹74,000 to his bank account as purported returns, gaining his confidence.
He later transferred ₹2.3 crore through 14 transactions between July 7 and July 30. The money was allegedly routed to multiple bank accounts in Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune and Vadodara.
The fake platform later showed that his investment had increased to ₹6.5 crore. However, when he attempted to withdraw the amount, he was allegedly asked to pay another ₹2.5 crore, following which he realised he had been cheated.
₹10.74 crore digital arrest scam under probe
In another major case, a Pune senior citizen was allegedly cheated of ₹10.74 crore in a digital arrest scam. The investigation has reportedly uncovered a money trail involving 5,436 bank accounts.
Police have alleged that reels star and celebrity manager Rohan Jadhav emerged as a key suspect in the case. Investigators suspect that money withdrawn through ATMs was handed over to him.
The probe has also indicated a possible international connection, with investigators examining alleged communications with individuals in Hong Kong through Telegram and suspected USDT transactions.
70-year-old woman lawyer loses ₹70 lakh
A 70-year-old woman lawyer from Pisoli Road was allegedly duped of ₹70 lakh after fraudsters posed as officials of a nationalised bank.
The suspects allegedly claimed that her bank account had been used for illegal transactions and threatened her with a digital arrest. Fearing arrest, she transferred ₹70 lakh to several bank accounts over three days.
She later realised she had been deceived and approached the cyber police. A case was registered at the Shivajinagar Cyber Police Station.
Cyber investigators have repeatedly advised citizens to verify investment platforms and intermediaries before transferring money. They have also cautioned people against clicking on investment links received through social media and messaging applications.
A senior cyber official said recent cases showed that fraudsters were increasingly using fake websites, social media advertisements, impersonation of public officials, fabricated profits and digital arrest threats to gain victims' confidence before extracting large sums of money.
With cyber fraud losses crossing ₹961 crore, the figures underline the need for greater public awareness, faster reporting of fraud and stronger mechanisms to trace and recover money routed through multiple bank accounts.
