PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
The Special Task Force (STF) Cyber Wing launched a new cyber awareness campaign to warn students and parents about fake scholarship scams. As part of the campaign, the STF released an awareness video featuring the popular character “Chokanni Chachi” to explain how cyber criminals cheat people by offering fake scholarships.
The STF senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh said that scammers send fake scholarship offers to students who have never applied for any scheme. They then ask for personal details such as Aadhaar number, PAN card details, bank account information and OTPs. In many cases, victims are also persuaded to open bank accounts or create UPI IDs. These accounts are later used by criminals for cyber fraud and money mule activities.
Singh advised students and parents not to trust scholarship offers received without applying for them. They should always verify such offers with their school, college or the official government website before sharing any information. The STF also warned people never to share confidential details with unknown persons.
The cyber police said anyone who becomes a victim of online fraud should immediately call the national cyber helpline 1930 or file a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
