Online shopping, job and lottery scams in India 2026: 67% of victims recover no money, survey finds
Indian consumers are increasingly reporting online scams, but getting their money back remains a challenge. While 86% of scam victims approached at least one organization for help, 33% of reported cases remain unresolved, and 67% of victims who lost money recovered nothing, according to GSMA's India Consumer Scam Report 2026.
The report draws on an online survey conducted by Milieu Insight between 29 July and 3 August 2026. 12% of Indian consumers said they had been scammed in the last 12 months, while another 39% had not been scammed themselves but had seen someone close to them fall victim to scams.
The findings highlight a gap between consumers reporting fraud and institutions delivering resolution.
Online shopping scams were the most commonly reported type, accounting for 33% of scams experienced by Indian victims. Prize, lottery and inheritance scams accounted for 31%, while job or income scams accounted for 30%.
Scams involving QR codes or payment links accounted for 27% of reported scam types. Messaging apps were the most common route through which scams reached victims, at 42%, followed by social media at 37% and email at 33%.
The report also found widespread exposure to artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled scams. 89% of Indian consumers said they had seen AI being used in scams. AI-written messages and fake AI-generated images were each recognized by 48% of respondents, while 42% had seen deepfake videos of real people.
Nearly half of Indian scam victims (49%) approached the police, while 41% contacted their bank or e-wallet provider and 40% reported the incident to the platform where the scam occurred. Another 36% approached their mobile or internet service provider.
An organization took primary responsibility for resolving 65% of reported cases. However, taking responsibility did not necessarily mean the case was investigated successfully or closed.
According to the report, 22% of reported cases were fully resolved with the money returned, while another 17% were partly resolved, with some money recovered. Overall, only 33% of victims who lost money recovered some or all of it.
The report highlights the continuing gap between reporting fraud and obtaining relief. One-third of reported cases remain unresolved, while two-thirds of victims who lost money recovered nothing.
Despite concerns about online privacy, Indian consumers appear willing to allow institutions to use their data for fraud detection.
According to the report, 87% of respondents were comfortable with their bank or financial provider holding and using their data to detect fraud. The corresponding figures were 82% for government, 81% for mobile operators and 73% for digital platforms.
However, the findings suggest that trust is linked to the outcome of a reported scam. Among victims whose cases were resolved, 88% were comfortable with the government using their data, compared with 64% of those whose cases remained unresolved. For digital platforms, the figures were 87% and 57%, respectively.
Sheetal Goel is a Content Producer at Livemint, where she covers corporate developments, personal finance, business trends, markets, and SEBI-related updates. She focuses on simplifying complex financial concepts and presenting them in a clear, reader-friendly manner, thereby helping audiences better understand investment trends, personal finance, and market developments. Her writing focuses on making finance more accessible to everyday readers while maintaining clarity, accuracy, and relevance. <br><br> She holds a degree in Economics (Hons.) along with an MBA in Finance, which has helped her develop a strong foundation in financial analysis, market understanding, and business reporting. Before joining journalism, she worked with finance and broking firms, where she closely followed market developments, investment strategies, and evolving industry trends. This practical exposure strengthened her understanding of financial markets. She has also written content across multiple formats and platforms, including YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. <br><br> Over time, she has developed expertise in covering market-linked stories, investor-focused topics, and regulatory updates in a simplified yet informative style. She also enjoys reading and listening to Hindi poetry, reflecting her appreciation for literature and creative expression beyond the world of markets and numbers.
Get Latest real-time updates
Catch all the Instant Personal Loan, Business Loan, Business News, Money news, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
HomeMoneyPersonal FinanceOnline shopping, job and lottery scams in India 2026: 67% of victims recover no money, survey finds
✕
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.