Jaipur, August 18: The Rajasthan Cyber Crime Police issued an advisory on Tuesday, warning citizens about cyber frauds related to the upcoming Raksha Bandhan festival.
Reports indicate that scammers are exploiting the festival by sending fake APK files, phishing links, gift offers, and courier messages to steal personal and financial information.
Under the directives of Police Chief Rajeev Kumar Sharma, the Cyber Crime Police urged citizens to remain vigilant and avoid downloading unknown files or clicking on suspicious links.
Additional Director General (Cyber Crime) VK Singh stated that cybercriminals are sending files like ‘rakshabandhan.gritings.apk’ and ‘festival.grift.apk’ via WhatsApp. Downloading and installing such APK files can give cybercriminals access to sensitive information and functions on mobile phones, including the camera, gallery, messages, and banking applications.
Scammers are sending enticing messages about special Raksha Bandhan offers, free gift vouchers, mobile recharges, and significant discounts. These messages often contain links to fake websites aimed at stealing banking information and other personal data.
The police advised people not to click on such links, even if the offers appear to come from familiar brands or contacts.
Cybercriminals may also create fake social media or WhatsApp profiles using the names and photos of relatives, asking victims to transfer money. Another common tactic involves sending messages claiming that a brother or sister has sent a rakhi or gift via courier, prompting victims to click on a delivery link or pay a small fee, which could expose their personal or financial information.
The Rajasthan Police recommended several precautions, including avoiding the download or installation of unknown APK files, disabling WhatsApp’s media auto-download feature, enabling two-step verification on WhatsApp and other important accounts, and refraining from clicking on suspicious links offering gifts, coupons, discounts, or recharges. They also advised confirming any suspicious messages or money requests directly with the person involved and avoiding sharing banking credentials, OTPs, PINs, or other sensitive information.
The police specifically urged citizens to disable WhatsApp’s media auto-download feature to reduce the risk of automatically receiving potentially harmful files.
In cases of cyber fraud, citizens should take immediate action by reporting incidents at the nearest police station or calling the national cyber helpline at ‘1930’. Complaints can also be filed through the cybercrime reporting portal cybercrime.gov.in.
The Rajasthan Police have provided cyber helpdesk numbers 9256001930 and 9257510100 for assistance.
They appealed to citizens to remain especially vigilant during the festive season and to verify any suspicious messages, links, or payment requests before taking action.
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