JAMMU, May 25: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday issued a fresh advisory cautioning people against the growing menace of fake online discount scams and fraudulent advertisements circulating across social media and messaging platforms.
Police officials said cyber criminals are increasingly using flashy advertisements, fake “limited-time offers” and heavy discount schemes to lure unsuspecting users into fraudulent online transactions. The scammers create a sense of urgency among shoppers, encouraging them to click suspicious links and make payments without verifying the authenticity of websites or sellers.
According to the advisory, such cyber frauds are designed to steal banking credentials, confidential personal information and money through cloned shopping websites, fake e-commerce portals and malicious payment gateways.
Authorities warned that many fake advertisements appearing on social media platforms, SMS messages and instant messaging applications are being used to trap users with unrealistic offers and misleading promotional campaigns.
The police urged citizens to remain vigilant while making online purchases and advised them to thoroughly verify every deal before proceeding with payments. People were also asked to avoid opening suspicious links shared through WhatsApp, SMS, unknown advertisements or unverified social media posts.
“Cyber criminals often use unbelievable discounts and attractive shopping offers as bait to cheat innocent people. Users should remain alert and avoid making payments on untrusted platforms,” the advisory stated.
The advisory further stressed the importance of using only trusted and verified websites for online shopping and digital financial transactions. Citizens were encouraged to carefully check website authenticity, payment security and seller credibility before entering banking details or personal information online.
Police also appealed to the public to immediately report any suspicious online activity, cyber fraud or unauthorized financial transaction to the national cyber helpline number 1930 or through the official cybercrime reporting portal.
Officials said timely reporting can help authorities take quick action and prevent further financial losses in cyber fraud cases.