List of most frequent cybercrimes (under IPC India)

1. Child Pornography/ Child sexually abusive material (CSAM)

Child sexually abusive material (CSAM) refers to material containing sexual image in any form, of a child who is abused or sexually exploited. Section 67 (B) of IT Act states that “it is punishable for publishing or transmitting of material depicting children in sexually explicit act, etc. in electronic form.

2. Cyber Bullying

A form of harassment or bullying inflicted through the use of electronic or communication devices such as computer, mobile phone, laptop, etc.

3. Cyber stalking

Cyber stalking is the use of electronic communication by a person to follow a person, or attempts to contact a person to foster personal interaction repeatedly despite a clear indication of disinterest by such person; or monitors the internet, email or any other form of electronic communication commits the offence of stalking.

4. Cyber Grooming

Cyber Grooming is when a person builds an online relationship with a young person and tricks or pressures him/ her into doing sexual act.

5. Online Job Fraud

Online Job Fraud is an attempt to defraud people who are in need of employment by giving them a false hope/ promise of better employment with higher wages.

6. Online Sextortion

Online Sextortion occurs when someone threatens to distribute private and sensitive material using an electronic medium if he/ she doesn’t provide images of a sexual nature, sexual favours, or money.

7. Vishing

Vishing is an attempt where fraudsters try to seek personal information like Customer ID, Net Banking password, ATM PIN, OTP, Card expiry date, CVV etc. through a phone call.

8. Sexting

Sexting is an act of sending sexually explicit digital images, videos, text messages, or emails, usually by cell phone.

9. Smshing

Smishing is a type of fraud that uses mobile phone text messages to lure victims into calling back on a fraudulent phone number, visiting fraudulent websites or downloading malicious content via phone or web.

10. SIM Swap Scam

SIM Swap Scam occurs when fraudsters manage to get a new SIM card issued against a registered mobile number fraudulently through the mobile service provider. With the help of this new SIM card, they get One Time Password (OTP) and alerts, required for making financial transactions through victim's bank account. Getting a new SIM card against a registered mobile number fraudulently is known as SIM Swap.

11. Debit/Credit Card Fraud

12. Impersonation and Identity Theft

13. Phishing

14. Spamming

 occurs when someone receives an unsolicited commercial messages sent via email, SMS, MMS and any other similar electronic messaging media. They may try to persuade recepient to buy a product or service, or visit a website where he can make purchases; or they may attempt to trick him/ her into divulging bank account or credit card details.

15. Ransomware

16. Virus, Worms & Trojans

17. Data Breach

18. Denial Of Services /Distributed DoS

19. Website Defacement

Website Defacement is an attack intended to change visual appearance of a website and/ or make it dysfunctional. The attacker may post indecent, hostile and obscene images, messages, videos, etc.

20. Cyber-Squatting

Cyber-Squatting is an act of registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with an intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else.

21. Pharming

Pharming is cyber-attack aiming to redirect a website's traffic to another, bogus website.

22. Cryptojacking

Cryptojacking is the unauthorized use of computing resources to mine cryptocurrencies.

23. Online Drug Trafficking

24. Espionage

 Espionage is the act or practice of obtaining data and information without the permission and knowledge of the owner.