Amresh Parab
Panaji
Senior citizens falling prey to cyberfrauds is on the rise in Goa, with 71 elderly residents losing over Rs 39 crore since 2023.
The most common among these cyberfrauds is the ‘digital arrest’ scam, through which cybercriminals have siphoned off large sums of money, followed by online investment scams.
Referring to the reasons senior citizens have become easy targets, a police officer said that criminals exploit specific human and technical vulnerabilities, such as accumulated life savings and lower digital literacy, to manipulate older adults into financial loss.
According to data tabled in the recently concluded state Assembly session, two cases were registered in 2023 involving senior citizens who lost Rs 72,58,205. In 2024, 13 cases were registered with losses totalling Rs 8,94,54,628. A total of 14 cases were registered in 2025, wherein senior citizens lost
Rs 13,28,71,092. In 2026, the number of cases surged to 42, with victims losing around Rs 16,24,59,914. This brings the total financial loss between 2023 and 2026 to approximately Rs 39,20,43,839.
Police said that a trusting nature, less familiarity with technology, difficulty in identifying scams and limited cybersecurity awareness are major factors leading gullible senior citizens to lose their hard-earned money. Additionally, fear, urgency, financial vulnerability, social isolation, difficulty in recognising fake information and a reluctance to report fraud make senior citizens particularly vulnerable to cybercriminals.
Out of the 71 registered cases, police have filed ‘A final’ closure reports in 29 instances. An ‘A final’ report is submitted when police believe a complaint is genuine but are unable to locate clues, evidence or the accused, or when the stolen property cannot be recovered.
Highlighting the measures implemented to tackle cybercrimes against senior citizens, police pointed to the setting up of a cloud-based ‘1930’ cyber fraud call centre. They also said that ‘Cyber Yodha’ initiative has been launched to strengthen cybersecurity in the state, alongside an ongoing social media awareness campaign on the ‘Cyber Surakshit Goem’ handle managed by Bla Bla Entertainment.
Police said that they regularly conduct public awareness activities focusing on cybercrime prevention and digital safety.
