Hyderabad police pull 140 profiles, including videos using minors for money
Representative image: Pexels / Pixabay
Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police said on October 10, 2026 they removed 140 social media profiles in September and refunded Rs 88.48 lakh to fraud victims.
What Happened
The Cyber Crime Police of Hyderabad City said on Saturday, October 10, 2026 that in September they arrested 35 people from nine states in connection with 23 cybercrime cases, and returned Rs 88.48 lakh to victims. In the same month, officers on online "cyber patrol" identified 140 Facebook and Instagram profiles running 30 paid advertisements that were taken down. According to the police, the content included videos in which minors were made to use abusive, vulgar or inappropriate language so that the videos could earn money, along with schemes selling "old and rare coins" and misleading betting predictions.
Key Facts
- 35 people were arrested in September 2026 in 23 cases: 10 from Telangana, nine from Andhra Pradesh, six from Maharashtra, three each from Kerala and Uttar Pradesh, and one each from Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab.
- In the cases covered by the refund data, victims had lost about Rs 17.35 crore; Rs 88.48 lakh was returned to them.
- Trading fraud cases accounted for the biggest share of refunds, about Rs 40.25 lakh.
- 140 Facebook and Instagram profiles running 30 paid adverts were identified and removed during September.
- Flagged content included videos using minors with abusive or vulgar language for monetisation, rare-coin schemes and misleading betting tips.
- Police said a cumulative total of 1,457 social media profiles and 2,603 paid promotional adverts have been identified and taken down so far.
Why It Matters
The figures show how much of online crime now happens on the same apps young people use every day. Fake trading groups promise quick profits, "rare coin" posts claim old coins can be sold for lakhs, and betting tip channels sell predictions that do not work. All of them rely on adverts and reels that look like ordinary social media content. Many victims only realise they have been cheated after transferring money.
The use of minors in monetised videos is a particular warning for young creators and their families. Content that gets attention by making children use crude or abusive language may bring views and ad income, but police have now treated it as objectionable and taken such profiles down. Parents who post or manage videos featuring their children, and young creators who collaborate with younger siblings or cousins, should know that chasing views this way can lead to accounts being removed.
The refund numbers also carry a lesson. Out of more than Rs 17 crore lost in the cases counted, under Rs 1 crore was returned. Recovering money becomes harder the longer a fraud goes unreported, because the money moves quickly through several accounts. Reporting a fraud immediately, through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal or the local cyber police, gives the police the best chance of freezing the money before it disappears.
| Measure (September 2026) | Figure |
|---|---|
| People arrested | 35, from nine states |
| Cases | 23 |
| Amount lost (refund data) | about Rs 17.35 crore |
| Amount refunded | Rs 88.48 lakh |
| Social media profiles removed | 140, running 30 paid adverts |
Impact
Short-term: Some fraud victims have received part of their money back, and a set of misleading and objectionable profiles has been removed from Facebook and Instagram.
Long-term: Regular police monitoring of paid social media adverts may make it harder for scam promoters and exploitative content to reach young users, if platforms also act quickly on reports.
Who is affected: Young social media users, creators and their families, people who invest or bet through online tips, and victims of trading and investment fraud in Hyderabad and beyond.
Key Takeaway
Hyderabad police removed 140 social media profiles in September, including ones using minors in vulgar videos for money, and recovered only a small part of what fraud victims lost.
Questions and Answers
What did Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police report for September 2026?
They arrested 35 people from nine states in 23 cases, refunded Rs 88.48 lakh to victims and removed 140 Facebook and Instagram profiles that were running 30 paid adverts.
What kind of social media content was taken down?
Videos in which minors used abusive or vulgar language to earn money, schemes selling old and rare coins, and misleading betting predictions.
Which fraud led to the biggest refunds?
Trading fraud, with about Rs 40.25 lakh returned to victims.
What should I do if I am cheated online?
Report it at once to the cyber police or through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, since quick reporting improves the chance of the money being frozen.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
