Telangana Police Return ₹139.68 Crore to 24,189 Cyber Fraud Victims

Telangana Police have facilitated the refund of ₹139.68 crore to 24,189 victims of cyber fraud so far this year, as the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) leans on two mechanisms to return defrauded money faster.

The bureau has been routing recoveries through the Lok Adalat process and the Money Restoration Module (MRM), which was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs in May 2026. The module began operating in Telangana in June and allows funds to be restored to victims without a court order.

At the recent National Lok Adalat, the TGCSB worked with the Telangana State Legal Services Authority, banks, digital payment service providers and police units across the State to process refunds worth ₹42.28 crore for 3,896 victims.

Cyberabad accounted for the largest share of that round, with ₹14.19 crore returned to 942 victims. The TGCSB itself facilitated ₹10.55 crore for 41 victims, while Malkajgiri refunded ₹5.27 crore to 1,024 victims and Hyderabad ₹5.02 crore to 530 victims. Suryapet facilitated ₹76 lakh for 34 victims.

Separately, the MRM had returned ₹27.23 crore to 9,355 victims as of September 12. Taken together, the two routes have brought financial relief to 13,251 victims during the year.

Since it was set up, the TGCSB has facilitated refunds totalling ₹514.93 crore to 73,204 cybercrime victims.

The bureau has urged victims to apply for refunds through the MRM and to report fraud without delay on the 1930 Cyber Helpline or the national cybercrime reporting portal. Reporting quickly during the ‘Golden Hour’ improves the chances of freezing and recovering the defrauded amount, it said.

Citizens have also been advised not to share OTPs, PINs, passwords or banking details with unknown persons, to verify customer-care numbers only through official websites, and to avoid clicking suspicious links received via SMS, email, WhatsApp or social media.