Rise in Cyber Fraud Adding to Threats Faced by Senior Citizens: NCRB Report

Crimes against senior citizens witnessed a sharp rise across the country in 2024, with the national capital recording the highest number of such cases among all Union Territories and metro cities, according to the latest report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

The NCRB’s Crime in India 2024 report revealed that 32,602 cases of crimes against senior citizens were registered nationwide in 2024, compared to 27,886 cases in 2023, marking a 16.9 per cent increase. Delhi reported 1,267 cases involving senior citizens in 2024 against 1,361 cases in the previous year, registering a decline of nearly 6.9 per cent. Despite the drop, New Delhi continued to rank highest among metro cities and Union Territories in crimes targeting elderly citizens and recorded a crime rate of 110 cases per lakh population among senior citizens.

Among states, Madhya Pradesh topped the list with 5,875 cases in 2024, slightly higher than the 5,738 cases reported in 2023. The report highlighted that theft emerged as the most common offence against senior citizens, with 4,786 cases registered across the country. This was followed by 4,451 cases related to forgery, cheating and financial fraud, while 1,229 murder cases involving senior citizens were also reported.

According to the latest NCRB data, cybercrime cases in India also rose by 17.9 per cent in 2024, with 1,01,928 cases registered compared to 86,420 cases in 2023. Online fraud accounted for the majority of offences, followed by sexual exploitation and extortion. Among metropolitan cities, Bengaluru recorded the highest number of cybercrime cases at 17,561, while Mumbai and Hyderabad followed behind. Experts note that senior citizens are increasingly becoming targets of online fraud, digital scams and financial cheating due to growing dependence on digital banking, online payments and social media platforms.

Officials and social welfare groups have stressed the need for stronger community policing, awareness about cyber fraud and better support mechanisms for elderly citizens, especially in urban areas where many remain vulnerable to financial exploitation and social isolation.