Social Media Scams Expected to Surge Across India in 2026, Security Researchers Warn

Cybersecurity researchers are warning of a dramatic increase in social media-driven fraud across India in 2026, with artificial intelligence-powered deception tactics expected to proliferate on platforms from Instagram to WhatsApp. The forecast, based on extensive telemetry analysis, suggests that as digital adoption accelerates in smaller cities and towns, social networks will become the primary hunting ground for cybercriminals targeting millions of newly connected users.

According to researchers at Seqrite Labs, India's largest malware analysis facility, platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, WhatsApp and Telegram are increasingly being exploited by sophisticated fraud networks. The convergence of expanded internet access beyond metropolitan areas and advanced scamming techniques has created what security experts describe as a perfect storm for digital fraud.

Background and Context

India's rapid digital transformation has brought internet connectivity to hundreds of millions of new users in recent years, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities where smartphone adoption has outpaced digital literacy initiatives. This expansion of the digital population, while economically beneficial, has simultaneously created vulnerable targets for cybercriminals who have adapted their methods to exploit social media's inherent trust mechanisms.

The India Cyber Threat Report 2026 indicates that social engineering has emerged as the dominant attack vector, accounting for 65% of all malware incidents detected nationwide. This shift toward human manipulation rather than technical exploitation reflects how attackers are leveraging psychological triggers and social behaviors to compromise accounts and steal sensitive information.

Key Figures and Entities

Quick Heal Technologies Limited, a prominent cybersecurity firm with extensive operations across India, has issued the warning based on data collected through its research division Seqrite Labs. The organization's telemetry network provides real-time insights into emerging cyber threats across the country's digital ecosystem.

Researchers have identified particular vulnerabilities among demographic groups including Gen Z users, who frequently overshare personal information online, and senior citizens, who typically exhibit lower levels of cyber awareness. These populations are disproportionately targeted through platform-specific scam campaigns designed to exploit their particular behaviors and trust patterns.

Legal and Financial Mechanisms

The scam operations documented by researchers employ increasingly sophisticated techniques to circumvent platform security measures. On Snapchat, attackers create convincing impersonations of existing contacts or distribute fraudulent bonus notifications designed to harvest passwords and one-time passcodes. Instagram has emerged as a hub for elaborate fraudulent giveaways, romance scams, and investment schemes delivered through professionally crafted direct message campaigns.

WhatsApp and Telegram networks are being leveraged to distribute shortened links disguised as legitimate communications from delivery services, tax authorities, or potential employers. These links redirect victims to sophisticated phishing websites or prompt the installation of spyware masquerading as legitimate applications. Security researchers note that the deployment of AI-generated fake profiles, deepfake videos, and highly convincing phishing pages has made these schemes increasingly difficult for average users to identify.

International Implications and Policy Response

The projected surge in social media scams highlights significant gaps in both platform responsibility and user education across India's rapidly digitizing population. While individual platforms have implemented various detection mechanisms, researchers argue that these measures are insufficient against the scale and sophistication of emerging threats, particularly when targeting users with limited digital literacy.

Security experts emphasize the critical importance of proactive protection through advanced AI-powered security solutions as social media scams grow more sophisticated. They recommend that users strengthen their digital defenses by enabling two-factor authentication, maintaining private social media profiles, filtering messages from unknown contacts, and exclusively downloading applications from official stores. Prompt reporting of suspicious activity through platform tools and India's national cybercrime portal is cited as essential for limiting the spread of fraudulent operations.

Sources

This report draws on the India Cyber Threat Report 2026 published by Seqrite Labs, telemetry data analyzed by Quick Heal Technologies researchers, and public statements regarding cybersecurity trends in India's expanding digital economy.