Beware of cyber criminals during lockdown: Haryana Police

Haryana Police on Monday asked people to beware of cyber criminals who are trying to commit fraud during the ongoing lockdown.

It warned people that sharing personal information online or visiting pages through suspicious links could result in funds being siphoned off from their bank accounts.

ADG (Law and Order), Navdeep Singh Virk said cyber offenders are using various tactics to dupe money from the bank accounts of people by taking advantage of the lockdown.

He said people should exercise maximum caution while handling suspicious emails or links about COVID-19.

Cyber criminals may cheat people by asking them to donate money for COVID-19 funds through fake UPI IDs which are similar to those of PM-CARES fund, the additional director general said.

The fraudsters may also seek donations through social media by creating fake bank accounts, Virk said in a statement.

Some of the other modus operandi include seeking bank details in the guise of fraudulent schemes on face masks and sanitizers via fake online shopping sites, committing frauds by creating a fake page similar to government websites, offering coronavirus protection kits by online shopping windows and seeking OTP for home delivery of goods, theG said.

He said it has been observed that cyber fraudsters are also circulating malware links regarding COVID-19 to steal confidential data, including password, from the receiver's phone or computer.

Virk said the Cyber Crime unit of Haryana Police is actively working to catch the cyber fraudsters.