The Indian government has blocked 3,718 mobile applications, including fraudulent loan apps, as part of an extensive effort to combat cybercrime, saving over Rs 11,000 crore through improved reporting and enforcement measures.
The Indian government has blocked 3,718 mobile applications, including fraudulent loan apps, as part of a broader drive against cybercrime, the Ministry of Home Affairs told the Lok Sabha. By June 30, 2026, authorities said more than 32.80 lakh complaints filed through the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System had helped save over Rs 11,158 crore from being siphoned off by fraudsters.
In a written reply to BJP MP PC Mohan, Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar said the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, or I4C, had used powers under sections 69A and 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, to block the apps. He said more than 15.75 lakh SIM cards and 5.77 lakh IMEIs, as reported by police, had also been blocked by the government.
The figures add to a wider crackdown that has expanded steadily over the past few years. In March, the Home Ministry’s cyber wing said it had carried out a “digital strike” that led to the blocking of thousands of scam-linked accounts, along with 827 malicious mobile applications. Earlier this year, officials also moved against the “Wingo” network, which the ministry described as a telecom mule service, and blocked its command-and-control servers as well as related Telegram channels and YouTube content.
Kumar said the fraud-reporting platform, launched in 2021, has become central to efforts to stop criminals from moving money quickly. He also said I4C introduced a suspect registry on September 10, 2024, to share cybercrime identifiers with banks and financial institutions. According to the minister, that system has helped stop transactions worth Rs 25,698 crore after data on suspect accounts and mule accounts was shared with participating entities.
The ministry has also stepped up its administrative and public-awareness response. Kumar said a standard operating procedure has been issued to improve complaint handling, coordination with banks, grievance redressal, removal of lien markings and restoration of defrauded funds through the National Cyber Reporting Platform. He added that a money restoration module and a grievance redressal module have been operating since April 2026, while campaigns on SMS, caller tunes, social media, schools, cinema, television, radio and cricket have been used to warn citizens about online fraud.
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