Cybercrime Surge in Former Karimnagar Districts: AI Scams Cause Financial Loss and Health Emergencies

Cybercrime is rising rapidly in the former Karimnagar districts, with criminals now using advanced tools like Artificial Intelligence (AI) voice cloning and dangerous links to cheat people. Police say these scams are not only causing financial losses but also creating serious emotional and physical stress for victims.

One of the most disturbing cases took place in Huzurabad. A 74-year-old man, Masadi Laxman Rao, was rushed to the ICU after receiving a frightening phone call. Scammers pretended to be police officials and claimed that his son, who lives in America, had been arrested. They used AI to clone his son’s voice and demanded ₹9 lakh for his release. Though he didn’t pay the money, the shock and fear were so extreme that he collapsed at the police station while filing a complaint.

In another incident in the same town, Nusrat Fathima, mother of an intermediate student, also received a ransom call using a similar tactic. Instead of panicking, she went straight to her daughter’s college to check on her. She found her daughter safe and avoided losing ₹30,000. Police praised her for acting quickly and filing a complaint.

Criminals are also using new tricks to hack phones and steal money. In Karimnagar city, a scammer pretending to be a courier agent sent a link to advocate Paramesh Goud, claiming there was a problem with his delivery address. The moment he clicked the link, his phone and WhatsApp account were hacked. The scammers then contacted his friends and relatives, taking up to ₹2 lakh from them.

In Cherlabutkur village, several people were cheated after they got fake messages about unpaid traffic fines. They were asked to download an unverified app (APK file), which secretly stole their bank details. One person lost ₹70,000 through this method.

Despite the rise in cases, police have managed to recover large sums of money. Karimnagar Police Commissioner Gouse Alam said that a recent Special Lok Adalat handled 1,280 cases. In 57 cybercrime cases, the court ordered ₹51.39 lakh—which had been frozen in bank accounts—to be returned to the victims.

The Commissioner urged the public to stay alert. If someone receives a call claiming that a family member is in trouble, they should hang up and call the family member directly on their known number. People should never click on suspicious links or download apps from unknown sources. He also reminded citizens that police or government agencies never demand money for bail or threaten “digital arrest” over the phone.

Anyone who suspects fraud should immediately contact the National Cybercrime Helpline (1930) or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in.