COVID-19: Indian mission in UK warns against data theft scams

The Indian High Commission in London on Wednesday issued an alert on its social media channels, warning stranded Indians in the UK against falling prey to "unscrupulous elements" who have been using the coronavirus pandemic as a means for scams and data theft.

The warning comes days after the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Ruchi Ghanashyam, on March 29 issued a warning against fake news being circulated via WhatsApp messages claiming Air India airlift operations planned for stranded Indians.

"Be careful! People are misusing COVID-19 crisis to register others in the name of High Commission. This poses risk of data theft. Do not register except on the links given by our twitter handle or website," the Indian mission said in a Twitter statement on Wednesday.

"Please share this message on each group you are member of and on each social media platform. Let us together kill such efforts of unscrupulous elements," it added.

The warning follows a fake message last week, which was shared and forwarded several times, claiming that flights were planned this week from London Heathrow to Delhi and Mumbai to evacuate Indians grounded in the UK due to India's ban on international flights till April 14 as part of its lockdown to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The latest alert comes as UK government agencies have also issued a series of warnings over frauds and scams related to the coronavirus pandemic duping unsuspecting victims.

UK Security Minister James Brokenshire said: "Fraudsters are callous criminals who ruin victims' lives while lining their own pockets. To take advantage of vulnerable people at this difficult time is particularly reprehensible.

"The government is committed to working with the NCA (National Crime Agency) and all law enforcement partners to tackle this and protect the public."