Cybercrime police warn of spike in festive online frauds ahead of Christmas, New Year
HYDERABAD: The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau has issued a public advisory urging citizens to remain vigilant during the Christmas and New Year season, warning of a surge in online frauds linked to festive offers, shopping, travel and digital payments.
According to the advisory, advertisement-related online frauds have risen by 32% during the festive period, with cybercriminals exploiting increased online activity related to shopping, travel, parties and celebrations.
The cybercrime police said fraudsters are increasingly targeting people through fake websites, social media posts and messaging platforms, particularly offering discounts, event passes and holiday packages.
Among the most common scams reported are lottery, gift and lucky draw frauds claiming festive winnings, fake New Year party and concert passes, and fraudulent travel and holiday packages that vanish after advance payments.
Fake hotel and resort bookings for New Year stays, bogus cab and vehicle rental services demanding advance payments, and fake donation appeals in the name of churches, charities and orphanages have also been flagged.
The advisory further noted a rise in seasonal job and part-time work scams linked to events and deliveries, along with refund, cashback and festival discount links circulated through SMS and WhatsApp.
Victims of online fraud have been advised to immediately stop further transactions and avoid making any additional payments. Citizens should document all evidence by taking screenshots of messages, advertisements, links, websites and profiles, and preserve transaction IDs, UTR numbers, bank details and payment proofs.
The cybercrime police have cautioned against deleting chats, emails or call logs related to the fraud and advised people to inform their bank or payment service provider at once to block or flag suspicious transactions.
Complaints should be reported immediately by dialling the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or by lodging a complaint on the official portal, www.cybercrime.gov.in.
As preventive measures, the bureau urged citizens not to click on unknown or suspicious links, avoid advance payments for festive offers, travel, parties or bookings from unverified sources, and never share OTPs, PINs, CVV numbers or bank details.
People have also been advised to verify offers only on official or trusted platforms and enable two-factor authentication for online accounts.
