The Union government’s recommendation that residents update their Aadhaar cards every ten years and the free update service that is offered till September 14, 2024, have turned into a weapon used by hackers to prey on gullible people. The number of people being tricked and conned by the cybercriminals under the pretense of Aadhaar updates has increased recently. Such fraud incidents have been reported by the tri-city commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda.
In a specific case, a farmer in Narsingi’s Puppaguda neighborhood received a WhatsApp message containing a link to update his Aadhaar in order to save more fees and trouble. He clicked on the link, supposing the message to be authentic, and was asked to provide his debit card number, expiration date, and bank account information.
Then, in four transactions, his savings account had a balance of about 4 lakh. In another example, a Bandlaguda Jagir resident downloaded an APK file that was connected to a similar WhatsApp message. After providing his bank information, 2.11 lakh was taken out of his account.
A businessman from Ayyappa Society in Madhapur lost 63,000, and a government employee from Katedan was duped of 54,030, are two other incidents.
Police advise the public to exercise caution while falling for scams that pose as Aadhaar updates or correspondence from government agencies or programs, even as their corresponding cybercrime teams look into these incidents.
“Cybercriminals are exploiting govt agencies, schemes, and officials to deceive and defraud people. It is crucial to be cautious and report any suspicious activity, even if no money is lost,” said a Cyberabad Cyber Crime official. He also emphasized that UIDAI or Aadhaar officials will never seek personal info.
Also read: Unveiling the Ethical Imperatives: Navigating the Intersection of AI and Cybersecurity
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