HYDERABAD: Hyderabad police commissioner VC Sajjanar has cautioned the public against ‘Free Rs 5,000’ cyber scam links circulating on social media and messaging platforms.
Taking to X on Sunday, the CP said cyber criminals were exploiting festive celebrations such as Sankranti and Republic Day to cheat people. Fake WhatsApp links with messages like ‘PhonePe Republic Day Mega Gift’ and ‘Sankranti Gift’ are being widely circulated, claiming users will receive `5,000 on clicking them.
Fraudsters are also sharing messages such as, “At first I thought it was fake, but I really got `5,000! You should also try it,” along with malicious links.
“These are psychological tricks used to trap unsuspecting people. Even if such messages come from known contacts or WhatsApp groups, pause and think,” he said.
The CP warned that the links often contain strange characters and can install malware on phones, leading to theft of personal data, bank PINs and passwords and draining of accounts within minutes.
He clarified that PhonePe, GPay or any other company does not distribute money through WhatsApp links, and genuine offers are available only on official apps.
Victims who have clicked such links or lost money were advised to call the cybercrime helpline 1930 or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in.