#PhishingAlert Archives - Akancha Srivastava Foundation

Festive Season Scams!

Akancha Srivastava — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 14:11:12 +0000

Festivals are prime time for cybercriminals.

As shopping, travel, gifting, and donations surge, scammers weaponise urgency and emotion to steal money and data. This video shows exactly how they operate, the red flags you will see, and the steps that prevent loss.

How the scams work:

Fake e-commerce and flash sales
Cloned websites and social ads push “festive mega deals”, take payments, then deliver counterfeit goods or nothing. CERT-In warned about fake stores and delivery scams tied to seasonal sales.CERT-In
UPI and QR tricks
Fraudsters send “collect” payment requests, QR codes, or links that look like refunds, prizes, or overdue bills. NPCI has directed banks and apps to discontinue riskier P2P collect requests from 1 October 2025 to curb such abuse.The Times of India
Electricity bill disconnection threats
WhatsApp or SMS claims your power will be cut tonight unless you pay immediately through a link or number. Hyderabad authorities flagged this exact pattern in 2025.The Hans India
Courier and parcel fraud
Calls claim a package is held or illegal items were found in your name. You are pushed to share OTPs, install APKs, or pay “verification fees”. Police and media have documented the surge in parcel and courier scams.in+1
Fake charity drives
Fraudsters spoof NGO names during Diwali to solicit “urgent” donations on websites or UPI handles that vanish after payment. Consumer advisories highlighted this around Diwali 2024.Free Press Journal
“Personalised” AI phishing
Attackers now craft messages that reference your shopping habits or travel, making scams harder to spot during the 2025 festive rush.The Times of India+1

Why scams spike now:
High-volume transactions, discount hunting, and gifting urgency reduce caution. Seasonal spending creates ideal cover for phishing, social engineering, and fake merchant setups. News Mobile –

Red flags you must not ignore:
• Pressure to act now, pay now, or lose a deal
• Requests to install APKs or remote-access apps
• Payment via collect requests, QR sent by unknown numbers, or links shortened to hide the destination
• Donation appeals that cannot be verified on official NGO or government pages
• E-commerce sites with no physical address, no GST details, or only prepaid options

How to protect yourself:
• Pay only on verified platforms. Type the URL yourself. Do not click payment links from messages.
• Refuse “collect” requests and unknown QR codes. Initiate payments yourself inside the app. The Times of India
• Never install APKs sent over SMS or WhatsApp. They are a common malware vector during festive offers. The Times of India
• Verify charity details on official sites. Donate through verified handles only. Free Press Journal
• Use multifactor authentication on banking, email, and shopping accounts.
• Lock SIM and device. Keep OS and apps updated.
• Treat calls about parcels, electricity, KYC, or refunds as hostile until verified via official numbers. The420.in+1

If you are targeted:
• Do not pay. Capture evidence: screenshots, numbers, URLs, and transaction IDs.
• Report immediately at cybercrime.gov.in and to your bank for transaction reversal workflows.
• If credentials were exposed, change passwords, revoke sessions, and reset UPI PINs.
• For power, parcel, bank, or courier claims, call official helplines listed on the entity’s website, not the number that contacted you.

Real-world evidence:
• CERT-In advisory on fake festive shopping sites and delivery scams. CERT-In
• NPCI direction to end P2P UPI collect requests from 1 Oct 2025 to reduce fraud. The Times of India
• Hyderabad power disconnection WhatsApp scam alert. The Hans India
• Courier and parcel scam advisories and coverage. The420.in+1
• 2025 festive season warnings on personalised, AI-driven frauds. The Times of India+1

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Stay Aware, Stay Safe. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.

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ABOUT ‘AKANCHA SRIVASTAVA FOUNDATION’

The Akancha Srivastava Foundation is India’s leading social impact initiative dedicated to advancing cyber safety awareness and education. Established in February 2017, this not-for-profit Section 8 organization is a trusted voice in promoting safe online practices across the nation.

Distinguished Board of Advisors
Guided by an honorary advisory board of esteemed leaders:

Former Special DGP RK Vij (Chhattisgarh Police)
ADG Navniet Sekera (Uttar Pradesh Police)
ADG Krishna Prakash (Maharashtra Police)
Dr. Poonam Verma (Principal, SSCBS, Delhi University)

Our Mission

The Foundation is committed to educating, empowering, and building bridges between the public and authorities on critical cyber safety issues. Additionally, we specialize in forensics training for law enforcement, equipping them with the skills needed to tackle cybercrime effectively.

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Credit Card Scams Exposed!

Akancha Srivastava — Thu, 15 May 2025 05:35:17 +0000

Credit Card Scams Exposed!

Credit Card Application Scams: How Scammers Are Draining Your Money

Did you know that people are losing money while applying for credit cards? Scammers have found a new way to exploit your financial needs, and today, I’m breaking it all down for you.

How This Scam Works:

🔹 Fake Credit Card Application Scams
Scammers pose as bank representatives or agents, offering exclusive, high-limit, or pre-approved credit cards. They reach out via calls, emails, or even social media ads, making their offer sound too good to refuse.

🔹 Upfront Payment Fraud
Victims are asked to pay processing fees, verification charges, or security deposits to “fast-track” approval. Once you make the payment, the scammer vanishes—no card, no refund, nothing!

🔹 Phishing & Data Theft
Fraudsters set up fake bank websites that look just like real bank portals to steal your personal details, banking credentials, and OTPs. Before you know it, they’ve taken loans in your name or made unauthorized transactions.

🔹 Misuse of KYC Documents
If you submit Aadhaar, PAN, or other documents, scammers may use them to open fraudulent bank accounts, apply for loans, or even commit financial crimes, leaving you to deal with the consequences.

How to Protect Yourself:

✔ Never pay upfront fees—legitimate banks do not charge for credit card approvals.
✔ Verify directly with the bank—if someone calls, always cross-check with official channels.
✔ Check the official website—look for secure “https” links and verify the domain name.
✔ Never share OTPs, passwords, or personal details over calls or emails.

✔ Never trust an overeager telecaller offering you a ‘too good to be true’ card—legit banks don’t push sales aggressively.
✔ Report fraud immediately to your bank and cybercrime authorities.

🚨 Scammers are preying on people’s financial needs. Don’t fall for it!

✔ Report fraud immediately to your bank and cybercrime authorities.