TN Cyber Police Alert: Rise of Two New Fraud Schemes

Speedy Summary:

• Issue: The Cyber Crime Wing of the Tamil Nadu police has observed a sharp rise in two types of cyber frauds: Parivahan e-challan scam and cyber helpdesk scam.
• Parivahan e-challan scam: Scammers send fraudulent messages accusing victims of traffic violations, accompanied by links to fake payment applications that steal sensitive data (e.g., SMS, contacts, banking info) and facilitate unauthorized transactions.
• Cyber helpdesk scam: Scammers impersonate agents from cyber crime helplines via calls, WhatsApp, Telegram, or emails. They demand payments under the pretense of filing complaints or recovering funds, leading to further fraud.
• police Advisory: residents are urged to verify fines only on official goverment portals and avoid believing traffic-related messages sent thru platforms like WhatsApp.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The rising trend in cyber scams highlights vulnerabilities in public awareness regarding online security and underscores the sophistication of fraudulent techniques. These scams exploit trust and lack sufficient verification mechanisms among users. While advisory efforts by Tamil Nadu police are commendable as preventive measures, there is also a need for broader digital literacy initiatives to empower individuals against such threats. Furthermore, developing secure channels for legitimate interactions between citizens and governance systems is vital amidst increasing digitization in India.Read more at: Source