Telangana Cyber Police Warn Farmers Against Fraud Post Loan Waiver Deposits

Hyderabad: Hours after the government deposited money into farmers' accounts as part of the loan waiver initiative, the cyber police on Thursday advised farmers to take measures to prevent cybercriminals from targeting their accounts.

Upon obtaining information about possible attempts by cyber fraudsters, the cybercrime police suggested that farmers avoid responding to unknown links on smartphones and refrain from revealing OTPs (one-time passwords) to strangers.

Police advised the farmers to always verify the source of unsolicited calls, messages, or emails before sharing personal or financial information.

The cybercrime police also issued an advisory recommending that individuals verify the status of any package directly on the official website of courier companies, and avoid clicking on links received via SMS, email, or WhatsApp. Scammers often use these avenues to manipulate victims.

They also advised against installing any APKs on mobile phones and warned against engaging with individuals or groups sending unsolicited part-time job offers through social media or messaging apps.

"Scammers on Telegram and WhatsApp may message you about easy part-time jobs, such as liking videos. They start with small payments to gain your trust, then trick you into sharing personal information or investing more money before vanishing with your cash. Never share sensitive information like bank account details, passwords, or social security numbers with strangers or unverified entities," the police said.

The police further suggested not depositing money into unknown bank accounts based on false promises from unknown persons. Regarding trading frauds, the public is advised not to believe dubious returns offered by fraudsters and to avoid trading stocks or investing money in unknown applications that are not registered with SEBI.

The police also asked the public to report matters related to cyber financial frauds immediately by calling the Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930, reaching out to the nearest police station, or visiting the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in.