PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
Ahead of the Rakshabandhan festival, Uttarakhand police have warned people about cyber frauds, especially fake Rakhi parcels and gift messages. The Cyber/ Special Task Force wing said that fraudsters may pose as courier or postal employees and claim that a Rakhi parcel has an address problem. “They may then ask people to pay a small amount such as Rs20 or Rs 50 and later demand customs or processing charges. The people should be on their guard as scammers can use fake links and payment pages to steal money and banking details from people during the festival,” said the STF senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh, adding that fraudsters may also send WhatsApp or SMS messages offering Rakhi gifts, vouchers, special surprises or free coupons that might contain fake links that lead to the fraudulent websites.
People may be asked to make a UPI payment or share their OTP, UPI PIN or bank details to claim the gift, said a cyber-expert.
Singh made it clear that people should remember that an OTP or UPI PIN is not required to receive a gift.
Singh advised people not to click on unknown parcels or gift links. “They should also avoid making payments for suspicious delivery requests and should never share OTPs, UPI PINs or banking details,” he added.
People have also been advised not to install unknown APK files or apps received through messages. Any attractive offer should be verified through the official website or customer care before taking action, cyber police warned.
