Cybercrime police have issued a warning about a fresh wave of online scams circulating during the election period, with fraudsters using the names and images of political leaders, celebrities and popular payment apps to lure users.
According to officials, social media posts and messages are being shared with links claiming benefits such as a ₹5,000 offer under the Jan Dhan Yojana using photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Similar links are also being sent in the names of Google Pay and PhonePe, promising cashback or rewards.
One message circulating uses a photo of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay and claims that ₹1,499 is being given to every citizen, asking users to click a “Get Offer” link. Police said such links are designed to trick users into handing over access or sensitive details.
Officials also flagged a Telegram-related trap where obscene-content links are sent using familiar names. After clicking, users may receive an OTP and lose control of their account, and are then pressured to share bank details under the pretext of upgrading to a “prime” membership.
Cybercrime police said they are probing the racket and suspect it could involve a North India-based gang, though no complaints of financial loss have been received so far. They advised people to ignore suspicious links on platforms like Facebook and Instagram and to rely only on offers shown within official apps such as GPay or PhonePe.
