A new survey focusing on digital security has identified 10 districts in Uttar Pradesh as high-risk zones for cyber fraud activity. The report, which analyzed V-KYC (Video Know Your Customer) onboarding data, highlights that Varanasi, Bareilly, and Lakhimpur Kheri are among the areas showing the most significant vulnerability to fraudulent digital onboarding attempts.

The study examined data from roughly 130 districts to determine where digital identity verification processes are most frequently targeted by bad actors. By monitoring patterns in V-KYC, which is a standard method for banks and financial institutions to verify customer identities remotely, researchers were able to pinpoint geographic clusters where suspicious activity is more prevalent.

While the report identifies these specific districts as high-risk, it does not detail the specific mechanisms or the scale of financial loss associated with these attempts. The findings serve as an indicator for financial institutions to potentially increase their scrutiny of digital onboarding processes in these specific regions. The survey underscores the growing challenge of maintaining secure digital financial services as more residents in these districts transition to online banking and digital identity verification systems. The report suggests that the risk is tied to the rapid adoption of digital services in these regions, which may be outpacing current security awareness and infrastructure.