Delhi Police issues warning to remain cautious of cyber fraud during Diwali festivities

Cyber criminals have become active during the Diwali festivities and are adopting new tactics to defraud citizens. The Delhi Police has issued an important warning on the social media platform 'X', urging people to remain cautious. According to reports by ABP Asmita and TV9 Gujarati, cyber criminals are using messages offering festive greetings as a trap. Clicking on suspicious links or photos contained in these messages can automatically download an APK file onto the user's phone. Through this file, criminals gain unauthorized control of the user's phone and steal personal information.

During the festive season, people shop more, and to take advantage of this, fraudsters create fake webpages that look exactly like genuine shopping portals. The URLs of these websites often have very minor changes, which are generally difficult to identify. To force customers to make quick decisions, countdown timers are placed on these sites, or false claims about limited stock are written. Additionally, attempts are made to extract personal details by luring people with offers like iPhones, gold coins, or shopping vouchers.

Authorities have given clear instructions to pause, think, and verify before clicking on any link. Under no circumstances should OTPs, passwords, or banking details be shared with anyone. Never give a UPI PIN to anyone and do not make the mistake of giving screen-sharing access of your phone to a stranger. It is advisable to use only the Google Play Store or Apple App Store for installing applications.

If any person falls victim to cyber fraud, they should immediately contact the number 1930 or file a complaint on the cybercrime.gov.in portal. Furthermore, information about suspicious messages can be provided through the 'Chakshu' facility available on the Sanchar Saathi portal. Victims of fraud should immediately contact their bank to get their cards or accounts blocked. Along with this, it is extremely important to change passwords, delete suspicious apps, and inform the authorities.