Kerala Police are alerting the public to a new cyber fraud where scammers are exploiting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's image in fake social media ads to deceive PhonePe users into making fraudulent online payments.
Key Points
- Kerala Police warn of cyber fraud using CM Pinarayi Vijayan's image in fake social media ads.
- Scammers target PhonePe users with false promises of easy money, tricking them into authorising payments.
- The fraudulent ads use a 'request payment' interface to steal money when users enter their UPI PIN.
- Authorities urge caution regarding social media ads promising easy money or featuring prominent figures.
- Victims of cyber fraud are advised to report incidents to the national cyber helpline or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
The Kerala Police on Tuesday cautioned the public about a new cyber fraud in which scammers allegedly use the image of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in fake social media advertisements to trick people into making online payments.
According to a statement issued by the state police, misleading advertisements circulating on platforms such as Facebook claim that users can easily earn Rs 12,000 if they have the PhonePe app on their mobile phones.
The fraud begins when users click on the advertisement featuring the chief minister's image, believing it to be genuine.
The link then opens the PhonePe application automatically on the user's phone and displays a payment page showing an amount of Rs 1,499.
Victims, assuming the amount is a reward to be received, enter their UPI PIN.
However, the police clarified that the page is actually a "request payment" interface, and entering the PIN authorises a transfer of Rs 1,499 from the user's account to the fraudsters.
Protecting Yourself from Cyber Fraud
Authorities urged people to remain cautious about advertisements on social media that promise easy money or feature images of prominent personalities, noting that such campaigns are often part of cyber scams.
The police also reminded users that entering a UPI PIN is required only to send money and not to receive funds. People should carefully verify payment request pages and avoid clicking on suspicious links or buttons, the statement said.
The public has been advised to report suspicious advertisements immediately.
Victims of cyber fraud can contact the national cyber helpline at 1930 or file a complaint through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, the statement added.
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