Mumbai: Amid the rising cases of social media impersonation fraud, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued an alert, warning the citizens about the scam wherein cons create fake profiles using names and photos of the target’s family and social circle.
According to the police, scammers spread false information to damage the reputation of the person in whose name the profile is created. Any communication made by cons to the friends and family of the actual account holder through this fake account can make them vulnerable to attacks like phishing and financial scams, said a police officer.
“Some of the best safety practices is to avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading apps received through chats or posts from strangers. Clicking on such links or downloading apps can potentially compromise one’s banking and social media account credentials,” read the alert.
One should verify the genuineness of money transfer requests received through social media accounts, messages or emails. It’s better to call the person and verify with the individual before making any payment, it added.
“Avoid sharing personal information online with strangers. Never panic to calls or requests that show a sense of urgency or threaten you to make payments. If your online accounts are compromised, immediately reset the passwords. If you are unable to do so, immediately report to the authorities concerned,” said the alert.
