Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Cybercrime has inflicted a massive financial toll on Goa, with residents losing more than ₹74 crore between 2023 and 2025, Chief Minister and Home Minister Dr Pramod Sawant told the Goa Legislative Assembly.
Replying to a Starred Question (LAQ No. 017C) tabled by MLA Alexio Lourenco, Sawant said cyber fraud losses have risen sharply, reflecting the growing scale and sophistication of online crimes.
According to data placed on the floor of the House, Goans lost ₹3.60 crore in 2023, which jumped dramatically to ₹29.73 crore in 2024. In 2025 (till December 31), the losses surged further to ₹40.79 crore, taking the three-year total to ₹74.12 crore.
The Assembly was also informed that senior citizens are increasingly becoming victims of cyber fraud. While 6.17% of cybercrime victims were senior citizens in 2023, the figure more than doubled to 14.11% in 2024. In 2025, it stood at 12.21%, underlining the continued vulnerability of the elderly to online scams.
Explaining the reasons behind the rise in cybercrime, the government said rapid digitalisation combined with low public awareness, evolving criminal techniques, and misuse of personal information have led to a spike in identity theft, financial fraud and other cyber offences. The lure of “easy and fast money” and lack of cyber security awareness, especially on social media, were also cited as major contributors.
The government outlined several measures to tackle the growing menace. The Ministry of Home Affairs’ cybercrime portal (www.cybercrime.nic.in) and the 1930 national helpline have been set up to allow citizens to report online frauds and seek immediate assistance. The Sanchar Saathi portal developed by the Department of Telecommunications is also being used to curb telecom-related frauds.
In Goa, cyber fraud alerts and advisories are being regularly published on the Goa Police website and social media platforms to build public awareness. The Chief Minister said Goa Police conduct cybercrime awareness sessions across the state, while officers have been given specialised training and advanced forensic tools to investigate digital crimes. Meetings are also held with bank officials to coordinate preventive steps against online financial fraud.
The government, however, noted that taluka-wise cybercrime data is not maintained, though police station-wise details from 2023 to 2025 have been compiled.
The revelations underline the growing threat of cybercrime in Goa, even as the state steps up efforts to educate citizens and strengthen law enforcement to combat online fraud.
