In a shocking case of digital fraud, over 150 people across Karnataka — including victims from Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Tumakuru, and Haveri — have been swindled out of more than ₹1 crore through a fake app exploiting the name of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The fraudulent app, deceptively named "Trump Hotel Rental," promised users massive returns on their investments, claiming to double the amount in a short span. To build trust, scammers circulated an AI-generated video impersonating Donald Trump, convincing victims of the app’s legitimacy. The scam also lured individuals with fake work-from-home job offers and the illusion of easy money.
According to Shivashankar R. Ganachari, inspector of the Cybercrime, Economics, and Narcotics (CEN) wing in Haveri, more than 15 residents from Haveri district alone were duped. “Victims were promised quick returns and employment opportunities. Once hooked, they were systematically cheated,” he said.
One of the victims, who lost over ₹1 lakh, shared, “We were initially asked to deposit ₹1,500 to create our account and start work. Our task was to write fake company profiles, and the app dashboard would show fake earnings for each completed task. But we never saw a single rupee in real returns.”
Complaints related to this scam have now been filed across various police stations in the state, including in Mangaluru. Police are investigating the fraud under cybercrime sections.
Cybercrime Soars Across India
This incident is part of a broader surge in cybercrime across the country. As per a 2024 analysis by the Ministry of Home Affairs, India registered a staggering 1.5 million cybercrime complaints in 2023, a massive leap from just 2.6 lakh complaints in 2020.
Today, four cybercrime complaints are filed every minute in the country. The increasing financial reward from such scams is one major reason — with average earnings per fraud case rising from ₹3.8 lakh in 2018-19 to over ₹5 lakh in 2023-24.
Concerned by the rapid rise in digital frauds, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the issue in his Mann ki Baat program on October 27, 2024. “Beware of digital arrest frauds. There is no legal provision for digital arrests in India. No government agency will contact you through a phone or video call for such procedures,” he cautioned.
As the digital space becomes increasingly exploited by cybercriminals, authorities urge citizens to exercise caution, verify digital platforms, and report suspicious activity immediately.




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