Chittoor police caution against fake ‘Pay Tax’ WhatsApp messages
Chittoor police have issued a warning regarding fraudulent WhatsApp messages impersonating the Income Tax Department. These messages attempt to trick users into clicking malicious links or installing APK files to steal sensitive financial data.
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Addresses the growing threat of cyber fraud and provides actionable advice for public digital security.
The Chittoor district police have warned the public against cyber fraudsters sending fake WhatsApp messages in the name of the Income Tax Department and other government agencies.
In a statement issued on Friday, Superintendent of Police Tushar Dudi said fraudsters were circulating messages carrying subject lines such as “Pay Tax”, “Income Tax Pending”, “Tax Refund”, “E-Verification” and “Penalty Notice” to frighten recipients into clicking malicious links or installing APK files.
The SP said such files could enable cyber criminals to gain access to sensitive information, including SMS, contact lists, banking details, one-time passwords (OTPs) and UPI credentials. Fraudsters could also misuse accessibility, screen-sharing and remote-access permissions to take control of mobile phones.
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