The Hyderabad Cybercrime Police have issued a public advisory regarding a significant surge in credit card-related frauds. These scams are sophisticated, involving tactics like phishing, the use of fake customer-care numbers, fraudulent reward-point schemes, and the deployment of malicious mobile apps. Fraudsters are reportedly using various methods, including fake merchant websites, deceptive SMS or social media links, and calls where they pose as legitimate bank officials to lure victims.
Cybercrime officials state that these scammers often trick users into revealing sensitive information such as OTPs, CVV, or card numbers. Additionally, they may persuade victims to install remote-access apps, which ultimately leads to unauthorized transactions and financial loss. The police have identified several common fraud types currently in circulation, including fake offers for credit-limit enhancement, card skimming, SIM swap takeovers, and various UPI/QR code scams.
In response, the police have strongly advised citizens to be extremely cautious. Key instructions include: never clicking on unsolicited links or sharing OTPs, PINs, or card details over the phone or email; only verifying bank contact numbers from official sources; and avoiding the installation of unknown apps or APKs. Citizens are urged to enable transaction alerts and immediately report any suspicious activity to the National Cybercrime Helpline (1930) or the portal cybercrime.gov.in.
