Bhubaneswar: Online trading scams have surged dramatically in Odisha over the past two years, with 40,270 people falling victim in 2024 alone, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi revealed in the state Assembly on Monday.
Responding to queries raised by Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, the Chief Minister provided detailed statistics on the rising cases. According to his written statement, the number of victims remained relatively low from 2019 to 2021, with 18 cases in 2019, 28 in 2020, and 22 in 2021. However, 2022 marked the beginning of an upward trend with 105 cases reported.
The situation escalated in 2023, with 18,994 people being duped in online trading scams. This alarming rise culminated in a record-breaking 40,270 cases reported in the first ten months of 2024, indicating a sharp and concerning increase in fraudulent activities.