Chinchwad: Cybercriminals are exploiting the festive season to target citizens with a fake government cash benefit scheme, promising Rs 8,000 as a Diwali gift allegedly approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Pimpri-Chinchwad cyber police have issued a warning against clicking on suspicious links circulating across WhatsApp and other social media platforms.
According to the police advisory, fraudsters are using the promise of financial assistance to persuade people to visit fraudulent websites and share sensitive personal and banking information. Deputy Commissioner of Police Rohidas Pawar has urged citizens to disregard such messages and avoid paying registration fees or processing charges to claim the purported benefit.
The police have specifically cautioned people against sharing Aadhaar and PAN details, bank account information, one-time passwords (OTPs), ATM PINs, CVVs and UPI PINs on unfamiliar platforms.
Officials warned that these links could lead to phishing websites designed to steal confidential information, enabling criminals to impersonate victims and conduct unauthorised financial transactions. In certain cases, users may also be tricked into approving UPI payments or downloading malicious applications that can compromise their mobile devices.
The fraudulent Rs 8,000 Diwali gift claim has also triggered warnings in other parts of the country. Cybersecurity authorities in Telangana and the Press Information Bureau’s fact-checking unit have flagged the claim as false. Police in Ludhiana have similarly cautioned residents against clicking on links promising festive cash benefits.
Citizens have been advised to verify government welfare announcements only through authorised official websites and refrain from forwarding unverified messages.
Those who lose money to cyber fraud should immediately contact the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or file a complaint through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
