Indians are the second-most targeted population of a global cybercrime industry, according to a report by Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The report highlights a growing national problem in India, with cybercriminals adopting AI tools to hyper-personalise their lures and targeting wealthy and vulnerable victims.
Meta took down 10.9 million accounts on Facebook and Instagram in 2025 that were associated with scam centres in various countries. The company has also announced new anti-scam features across its platforms, including flagging suspicious friend requests on Facebook and warning users about potential device-linking requests on WhatsApp.
Cybercriminals are now using AI to scale their operations, generating location-specific content and culturally appropriate messaging to improve targeting. The report also notes that scam syndicates are borrowing from the playbook of state-backed hackers, moving from mass-targeting to precision attacks on high-value individuals.
Meta's report highlights the evolving nature of cybercrime, with scammers re-engaging people who have already been approached or victimised before, posing as law enforcement or another authority figure to extract more money or information.
The report also notes that scam operations are becoming more sophisticated, with scammers using AI to generate fake content and culturally appropriate messaging to improve targeting. The company has called for international law enforcement cooperation to tackle the issue, as the remote and fortified nature of these compounds presents a severe jurisdictional challenge for domestic authorities.
