Cybercrime Trends in Tier 2 & 3 Indian Cities
India's digital revolution has reached as far as metro hubs. Mobile phones, affordable internet, and online services now reach millions of people in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities —but this digital access also made them target-rich environments for cybercrimes. What initially was urban-centric threat is now finding its expression in smaller towns, reaching the common user. 1. Cybercrime's Sudden Upturn National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures indicate that cybercrimes escalated more than four times in FY 2024, inflicting around $20 million in losses. Tier 2 towns contribute a significant percentage of this, and endpoint cyberattacks have escalated extensively. Bhavnagar, Banaskantha, Mehsana (Gujarat) are new hotspots, previously unheard of, now engaging actively in digital arrest scams and impersonation stock schemes. Alwar, Jamtara, Deoghar, and Nuh are now hubs of organised deceit, an outcome of low awareness and weak cybersecurity infrastructure. 2. ...