Uzbekistan sees 68-fold surge in cybercrime: Nearly 2 trillion UZS stolen in five years

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), 98% of cybercrimes in Uzbekistan are linked to bank cards.

Over the past five years, the number of cybercrimes in the country has increased 68-fold. In just the last year alone, it surged 9.1 times compared to 2023, the MIA’s press service reported.

During this period, the number of complaints from individuals and legal entities regarding offenses committed in cyberspace grew 34 times. As a result of these crimes, citizens lost more than 1 trillion 909 billion UZS.

The report highlights that in 2019, there were 863 cybercrimes committed across 18 categories. By 2024, this number had jumped to 58,800 crimes across 62 categories.

While cybercrimes accounted for just 6.2% of total crimes in 2023, their share surged to 44.4% in 2024.

“Almost every second crime is now committed using information technology. The overwhelming majority of cybercrimes – 98% - are connected to bank cards, involving cyber theft and online fraud,” the statement said.

The most common methods of committing cybercrimes include:

60% – Gaining control of a bank card or mobile device by sending malicious links and software;
16% – Obtaining SMS codes that confirm control over bank cards or mobile app accounts;
4% – Taking out online loans in the names of individuals;
11% – Scamming users on online trading platforms;
9% – Attracting funds from citizens through various fraudulent schemes.