WhatsApp Leads Platforms Exploited by Cyber Scammers: MHA Report

Social media platforms WhatsApp, Telegram, and Instagram remain the top hunting grounds for online scammers, according to the latest Union Home Ministry report.

In the first three months of 2024, 43,797 complaints were received about cyber frauds on WhatsApp, followed by 22,680 on Telegram and 19,800 on Instagram.

The MHA's 2023-24 annual report highlights that cybercriminals often use Google services, especially the Google Ads platform, to run scams targeting users globally.

One major scam reported is the "Pig Butchering Scam" or "Investment Scam," which involves money laundering and cyber slavery.

A pig butchering scam is a type of online fraud where victims are gradually manipulated into investing increasing amounts of money in fraudulent schemes, often involving cryptocurrency.

In order to address it, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre is partnering with Google and Facebook to block illegal lending apps, share intelligence, and curb the misuse of platforms like Google Firebase.