Online Frauds

'Sanchar Saathi is optional, user can delete it': Govt issues clarification

Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that Sanchar Saathi is optional, following uproar over the government mandate asking phone makers to pre-install the app to help curb cyber fraud

What is Sanchar Saathi app and why govt wants it on every mobile phone?

The government mandated all manufacturers to ensure that the government's Sanchar Saathi mobile application is pre-installed on all mobile handsets manufactured or imported for use in India

Airtel MD urges users to shift to its Payments Bank amid cyber fraud surge

Airtel MD Gopal Vittal has advised users to shift routine digital payments to Airtel Payments Bank, noting that keeping all transactions linked to one main account increases fraud vulnerability

Digital arrest hardest fraud threat, Google can't fix it alone: Kotsovinos

Digital arrest scams are the toughest fraud challenge today, calling for ecosystem-wide action as deepfakes and AI-driven impersonation make tracking and prevention more complex, says Kotsovinos

Fighting the fraud: Google plans to roll out anti-spam pop-ups soon

Google is piloting on-screen fraud warnings, real-time scam call detection and a SIM-based verification system to replace SMS OTPs as part of new safety features

SBI chief pitches for national financial grid to check digital frauds

It will be a dedicated intelligence infra company that will enable real-time intel sharing among banks and other financial-sector participants to strengthen customer protection against digital frauds

90% Indians exposed to fake endorsements in 2025: Deepfake Deception List

A new McAfee report warns that deepfake-driven celebrity endorsement scams are rising sharply in India, exposing millions to fake ads, manipulated videos, and phishing traps

Frauds per transaction rising, says RBI Deputy Governor T Rabi Sankar

He said that in a truly competitive market, banks might have sought to recover these additional costs from fintechs, but doing so could have slowed the pace of technological adoption.

High returns, higher risk: Mumbai Police flags 'COSTA App Saving' scam

COSTA App Saving promised unusually high returns on deposits, investors complain after fraud

Your credit is easier to steal than your money: How online lending works

A simple 'Buy now, pay later' click can trigger a full loan without consent. Weak verification, no alerts, and instant disbursals are fuelling identity fraud in India's digital lending ecosystem

Myanmar detains over 10K foreigners in online scam centre crackdown

Last month, the US sanctioned several companies in Shwe Kokko, a major scam hub it said is controlled by an ethnic armed group allied with the junta

Meta unveils new anti-fraud tools across WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook

Meta launches anti-scam tools on WhatsApp, Messenger, and Facebook, plus digital safety workshops to help senior citizens avoid online fraud across India

Celebrate and shop safely: NPCI's 5 tips for secure festival payments

With festival sales in full swing, NPCI shares 5 simple tips to keep your digital payments safe and avoid scams while shopping online.

SC flags rising digital arrest scams: What they are and how to stay safe

The court took notice of such frauds after a senior citizen couple from Haryana reported losing ₹1.5 crore between September 1 and 16

Digital arrests: Inside India's biggest scam and how to tackle it

Damage caused by the rise of the digital-arrest con, which has found fertile ground amid the country's soaring youth unemployment, endemic corruption and glaring wealth inequality, runs deep and wide

RBI Governor warns of rising digital frauds, urges fintechs to build trust

Malhotra also said the central bank is conceptualising "Unified Market Interface" as a new next-generation financial market infrastructure

Sebi flags 100k misleading social media posts amid investor scams

Sebi identified over 100,000 unlawful social media posts in 18 months, unveiling new tools to curb scams and boost investor awareness across India

Behavioural traps in online investing: Reflections on World Investor Week

As India deepens financial inclusion through digital tools, World Investor Week 2025 urges regulators and citizens to address behavioural biases, fraud risks, and digital trust gaps

How safe is your child online? Kerala case exposes dark side of dating apps

A 16-year-old boy from Kerala recently became the victim in a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online dating apps. Police charged 14 people, including government workers, with sexually assaulting the teenager. The group allegedly befriended the boy through the app before the attacks occurred. As the investigation unfolded last month, it was discovered the teenager, who is now safe, had been using fake profiles to stay active on the platform for almost two years. Tragically, this kind of predatory incident is not a rare occurrence, for the police. They report that such crimes are becoming increasingly common. They say this falls squarely within the patterns they regularly encounter through their Digital De-addiction (D-DAD) programme, an initiative aimed at identifying and rehabilitating children hooked on online games, social media, and pornography. Launched in 2023, the D-DAD project is the first of its kind in the country. At present, there are six centres operat

Businessman loses ₹5.8 lakh in cyber scam in Bengaluru: Details here

The man residing in the New Thippsandra area received a fake Regional Transport Office e-challan APK file on the messaging platform from an unknown contact