Rural Residents Warned About Fake Census Officials Scams via Phishing Emails
Rural Residents in Bihar Fall Victim to Sophisticated Banking Fraud Scheme
Bihar police have recently sounded an alarm regarding a novel form of cybercrime targeting rural residents in the state.
According to reports, scammers are impersonating census officials to trick individuals into divulging sensitive financial information and exposing their banking details.
Modus Operandi
- Victims receive phone calls, SMS, and messages from individuals claiming to represent the census department.
- These scammers claim to be assisting people with self-enumeration or government benefits under the ongoing census initiative.
- Victims are directed to click on suspicious links provided by the scammers, compromising their mobile devices and revealing their banking information.
Impact and Precautions
Several cases of financial loss have been documented in Patna and Muzaffarpur. One victim reportedly lost ₹25,000, while another individual in Muzaffarpur suffered a loss of ₹10,000 following their interaction with the scammers.
Citizens have been advised to use only the official census self-enumeration portal for submitting information and to refrain from clicking on unknown links or sharing sensitive information, including OTPs and banking credentials.
Action Against Cybercriminals
- Residents are urged to exercise vigilance and report any suspected instances of fraud to the national cyber helpline (1930) or the official cybercrime reporting portal.
- Law enforcement agencies are actively working to identify and apprehend those responsible for these crimes.
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