Scam alerts
What is doing the rounds this week
Short, dated notes on scams reported by police, regulators and readers. Each one tells you the hook, the red flag, and what to do if you already responded.
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IndiaDeepfake videos of politicians promoting fake "government schemes"
I4C has flagged social-media ads using AI-generated videos of political leaders announcing cash-benefit schemes that lead to UPI "registration fee" pages.
deepfakeupigovernment-scheme
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India"Pending traffic challan" SMS with a link that installs a fake Parivahan APK
Messages claiming an unpaid e-challan link to a page that downloads a "Vahan Parivahan" APK. The app reads SMS and OTPs and is used to empty bank accounts within hours.
smishingapkmalware
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Multiple states"Your electricity will be disconnected tonight" SMS and WhatsApp wave
A recurring campaign where messages claiming to be from the state electricity board threaten disconnection over an unpaid bill and give a mobile number to call.
electricityremote-accesssmishing
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IndiaFake "SEBI-registered" trading app using a cloned broker name and WhatsApp tips group
Investors are added to WhatsApp or Telegram groups run by a "research head" of a well-known broker, then told to install a lookalike app that shows fake profits and blocks withdrawals.
investmenttrading-appimpersonation
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India"Parcel with drugs in your name": courier call that becomes a digital arrest
The courier-parcel script remains the most common entry to a digital-arrest extortion. A "FedEx" or "DHL" call about a seized parcel is transferred to a fake police officer on video.
digital-arrestcourier
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Multiple states"Work from home: like, rate, review" Telegram task groups that end in deposit demands
Job offers on WhatsApp and Instagram lead to Telegram groups where small paid tasks build trust before "prepaid" tasks demand deposits that are never returned.
task-scamtelegramjob-fraud
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India"Wedding invitation" APK forwarded on WhatsApp installs SMS-stealing malware
A WhatsApp message from an unknown or hacked number shares a wedding invitation as an APK file. Opening it installs malware that reads OTPs and sends itself to your contacts.
apkwhatsappmalware
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India"Update your Aadhaar KYC today" WhatsApp message with a bank-branded APK
Messages styled as a bank or UIDAI notice say your account will be blocked unless KYC is updated through an attached app. The app harvests login details and OTPs.
kycapkphishing