Jaipur, Oct 1 (SocialNews.XYZ) Acting on the directions of Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar Sharma, the Cyber Crime Branch (R4C) of Rajasthan Police has issued a special advisory warning the public about a new cyber fraud trend reportedly spreading across the state.
Additional Director General of Police (Cyber Crime) V.K. Singh said cybercriminals are sending fraudulent messages through SMS, WhatsApp and email, as well as making phone calls while posing as representatives of India Post, Speed Post or major courier companies.
The messages typically claim that a parcel, sometimes described as containing government documents or valuable items, has been held because of an incorrect address.
Recipients are then instructed to click on a link and update their address immediately to prevent the parcel from being returned.
Fraudsters send links to fake websites designed to resemble legitimate postal or courier websites.
In some cases, they also send malicious APK files along with the messages.
Clicking a suspicious link or installing an unknown APK file can compromise a mobile device and potentially give fraudsters access to sensitive information and phone functions.
After directing victims to a fake website, fraudsters may ask them to pay a small amount, such as Rs 10, Rs 25, or Rs 50, to update or correct the delivery address.
Victims may then be prompted to enter debit or credit card details, net-banking credentials or a UPI PIN.
Cybercriminals can use such information to carry out unauthorised transactions and withdraw money from the victim’s account.
The advisory recommends using only official websites.
It advises citizens to track Speed Post and India Post shipments only through the official India Post website, www.indiapost.gov.in.
The advisory also urges people to verify website addresses and stay alert for suspicious URLs and websites that imitate government or courier portals.
Official Indian government websites generally use the “.gov.in” or “.nic.in” domains.
Another guideline advises citizens to contact official customer care if in doubt.
People can contact India Post through its official customer-care number, 1800-266-6868.
The advisory further recommends checking call-forwarding settings, blocking suspicious senders, avoiding sharing confidential information, not making payments through suspicious links, and refraining from installing unknown applications.
Anyone who becomes a victim of cyber fraud or encounters a suspicious attempt should report it immediately, the advisory stated.
Complaints can be lodged by calling the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930.
Rajasthan Police has urged citizens to stay alert and avoid clicking unsolicited links or downloading files from unknown sources, especially when messages create a sense of urgency about a parcel or delivery.
Source: IANS
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