Cybercriminals constantly devise new tactics to defraud people. Recently, the government issued a warning regarding one such new scheme. The Ministry of Home Affairs’ cyber security wing, I4C, revealed that criminals are defrauding people by creating fake websites mimicking the official cybercrime portal. On these fake sites, users are asked to make a payment to “unblock” their devices; subsequently, their personal details are stolen to carry out the fraud.
Fraud via Fake Websites
I4C Cyber Dost issued a warning about this via its official X handle. The post explained that cybercriminals are ensnaring people by creating fake versions of the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. When individuals search for how to report a cybercrime, they encounter these fraudulent sites created by criminals. The homepage of such a site typically features a payment option.
In its warning, Cyber Dost noted that users receive messages—often accompanied by screenshots of the fake site—claiming their device has been blocked and requiring a payment to unblock it. I4C Cyber Dost advised the public not to panic and emphasized that no payment should be made.
Points to Remember
Cyber Dost advised that if users need to report a cybercrime, they should not search for the “cybercrime portal” on Google. Instead, they should directly type “Cybercrime.gov.in” into their browser to access the official website.
Additionally, ignore any messages claiming a device is blocked that originate from these fake websites.
The government never asks individuals to make payments via pop-ups or unknown links; users should keep this in mind.
Report such fraudulent websites. Users can report these fake sites by visiting the “Check & Report” section on the official cybercrime portal. If you have been a victim of any kind of fraud, call the National Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930—in addition to using the official cyber crime portal—to register your complaint.
