The steady and alarming increase in scams and fraudulent activities in India has become one of the most serious challenges to contemporary governance and law enforcement. Although a number of factors account for the rise in these crimes, including rapidly increasing digitalization, economic inequality, technological flaws and the sheer volume of unregulated online activities, an important and widely overlooked factor is the role of the law enforcement agencies themselves – particularly the Indian Police and the Special Cyber Crime Department. Contrary to their intended role as protectors of public safety and guardians of digital and physical law, these institutions have in many cases become institutions promoting criminal enterprises, fostering a culture in which fraud and scams are flourishing unafraid. The explanation of this phenomenon is complex, rooted in the historical, structural, economic and cultural dynamics of India’s law enforcement apparatus, yet it is undeniable that the ineffective, sometimes collusive, functioning of these departments directly contributes to the proliferation of criminal schemes.
The relationship between crime and law enforcement is inherently contradictory. In principle, the presence of competent and vigilant police forces should be instrumental in preventing crime. In India, however, a combination of systemic inefficiency, corruption, bureaucratic inertia and inadequate resources have turned police and cybercrime departments into unwitting facilitators of fraud. Scammers and fraudsters have learned to penetrate this system by exploiting not only the technical weaknesses or the naivety of the public, but also the weaknesses of the agencies designed to prevent them. In many cases, these criminal elements operate with a deliberate sense of security because they know that enforcement is neither proactive nor impartial. There is little hope of police intervention, and even when intervention occurs, it is often based on financial inducements or political connections, resulting in a vicious cycle where fraud becomes more profitable and common.
One of the most vivid aspects of this problem is the interrelationship between digital scams and cybercrime units. India presents immense opportunities for fraudsters by rapidly adopting smartphones, online banking and digital transactions. From phishing attacks to online investment scams, from fake e-commerce platforms to romantic and social engineering scams, the digital landscape is littered with potential victims. Cyber crime cells, which are entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring, investigating and prosecuting such crimes, are in principle equipped to counter these threats. Nevertheless, in practice, these departments face a number of obstacles that paradoxically promote the very crimes they are tasked with preventing. Staff shortages are rife, and the training offered to executives is often rudimentary compared to the sophistication of modern digital fraud schemes. Many cyber executives are still learning basic checking tools, while sophisticated fraudsters use advanced encryption, anonymity techniques, and cross-border financial networks. The gap between law enforcement and the capabilities of criminals has created a climate in which scammers can operate almost entirely free of penalties.
Beyond mere inadequacy, however, there is also the issue of complicity. Reports and anecdotal evidence from victims across the country suggest that a large portion of scam activities continue unabated, not because the police cannot act, but because they have no incentive to act without paying bribes. Fraudsters, aware of this dynamic, regularly allocate part of their illegal profits to “maintain” good relations with law enforcement agencies. This often includes monthly payments, lavish gifts or favors, which essentially act as insurance against interference. In this framework, the police department inadvertently becomes a regulatory body for scandals, not in the interests of justice, but for personal gain. The existence of such a system fundamentally undermines confidence in law enforcement and signals to both offenders and the public that fraud is a low-risk, high-profit undertaking.
In addition, the procedural and bureaucratic complexities of police departments add to this problem. Victims often have to contend with an opaque and slow-moving system to file a scam complaint. Complaints are delayed, half-heartedly investigated, or dismissed on various pretexts. This systemic slowness is not just an administrative shortcoming; it is a weapon that fraudsters exploit. The understanding that the police will act slowly or not at all gives fraudsters time to maximize their work, and often extort large sums of money from many victims before the threat of legal action arises. Cybercrime units, which are expected to speed up digital fraud investigations, often suffer from jurisdictional overlapping issues, inadequate technical frameworks, and a culture of prioritizing politically sensitive or high-profile cases over complaints from ordinary citizens. Are there. This makes the average Indian consumer particularly vulnerable, strengthening the perception that enforcement agencies are either indifferent or in collusion.
The financial incentives of police collusion cannot be exaggerated. India’s law enforcement system is characterized by the fact that the basic salaries of officers are very low compared to the cost of living and opportunities for corruption. This economic disparity has created fertile ground for bribery and financial collusion between police and criminal networks. Cheaters, by recognizing the weak economic motivation for active policing, systematically exploit it. In some areas, it has been widely reported that scammers spend 40 to 60 percent of their illegal earnings bribing officials, effectively “buying” security. This arrangement is of benefit to both parties: scam activities go on uninterrupted, and the authorities continue to find large sources of revenue, of which there is no trace. Such practices are extremely destructive, as they undermine ethical standards of policing, discourage honest officers, and normalize corruption in institutional culture.
Another factor contributing to the increase in scams is the lack of accountability in the police hierarchy. Many officials face little consequences for not processing complaints or taking bribes. Internal review mechanisms are either suffering from a lack of resources or are highly affected by political and bureaucratic pressures. Informants within the department often face intimidation or career stagnation, which hinders internal reforms. This lack of accountability gives a clear signal: fraudsters can operate with certainty, knowing that failures in enforcement are tolerated or even indirectly encouraged. The combination of weak internal controls, widespread corruption and political interference creates a system in which crime is encouraged rather than punished.
The cultural environment in which these departments operate also plays an important role. The traditional policing system in India emphasizes hierarchy and seniority over merit and moral standards. Junior officers often imitate the behavior of their superiors, and if senior officers engage in corrupt practices, these behaviors become institutionalized. In such an environment, condoning scams or taking bribes becomes normal behavior. The result is a self-reinforced cycle in which systemic corruption patronizes and promotes criminal enterprises. Scammers, aware of these internal dynamics, exploit them subtly, often identifying “weaknesses”, both in human and procedural frameworks, to maximize their profits.
Public perception further complicates this problem. A citizen facing a scandal often assumes that law enforcement officials will not act unless there is sufficient public pressure or media attention. This assumption is not unfounded; several cases have shown that in high-profile scandals, action only occurs when there is widespread public outcry or interference from higher authorities. Lacking both resources and visibility, ordinary victims often face prolonged inaction, encouraging scammers to target the most vulnerable populations. Over time, this perception reduces public confidence in the police and cybercrime departments, creating a cycle in which fewer complaints are filed and scams grow unabated.
Ironically, technology also plays a dual role in this scenario. While it provides scammers with sophisticated tools to commit fraud, it also provides the police with the ability to detect and prevent such activities more efficiently. However, police in India have largely failed to tap this potential due to low investment in training, inadequate infrastructure and a reactionary rather than proactive mindset. Instead of using technology to identify, detect and close scams, the system often focuses on subsequent investigations that serve as bureaucratic checklists rather than actual justice. In contrast, fraudsters are constantly evolving their methods, leveraging AI-powered social engineering, deepfake technology, and anonymous platforms, widening the enforcement gap.
The consequences of this systemic failure are serious. This not only promotes a sustained increase in scams and fraudulent activities, but also undermines macroeconomic and social stability. Businesses’ confidence in digital transactions is waning, foreign investors consider India a high-risk environment, and ordinary citizens are facing financial and psychological trauma. The absence of effective policing creates a parallel economy in which illicit profits are considered normal and enforcement becomes a transactional service rather than a public interest. Thus, the corruption prevalent in police and cyber departments emerges as the most important reason for the rapid increase in scams, which leave behind other contributing factors like technological progress, public innocence or financial illiteracy.
Even as India faces many challenges in controlling the increasing number of frauds and scams, the inefficiency, corruption and collusion of its police and cyber crime departments are at the center of the crisis. By failing to take decisive action, colluding financially with criminals, and operating within bureaucratic and culturally compromised systems, these enforcement agencies inadvertently promote the actions of fraudsters. The result is a cycle that continues to run in which scams become more complex, more frequent and more damaging, while public confidence in law enforcement agencies continues to wane. Unless these systemic flaws are addressed through structural reforms, accountability measures, technological upgradation and cultural changes in policing, the rise in scams and fraudulent activities in India is likely to continue unabated, and law enforcement agencies Will play the role of assistant instead of preventive.
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