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| Fake scholarship offers used to trap victims into cyber fraud, money mule activities | | | Muskan Thakur
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Aug 22: Jammu and Kashmir Police has issued a fresh advisory warning people against fake scholarship offers being circulated by cybercriminals to deceive victims, obtain their personal and banking information and misuse their accounts for fraudulent financial transactions.
In an advisory shared through its official social media handle, the J&K Police said fraudsters are increasingly using attractive scholarship offers as a bait to establish contact with potential victims. Under the pretext of offering scholarships or financial assistance, scammers allegedly persuade victims to share sensitive personal information or open bank accounts.
The police cautioned that such information and accounts can subsequently be misused for cyber fraud and money mule activities. According to the advisory, unsuspecting individuals may be approached with scholarship offers that appear genuine but have not been applied for by the recipients. Fraudsters may use such offers to gain the confidence of victims before asking them to click on links, fill out forms or provide personal and banking details. The police advised people to remain particularly cautious about unsolicited scholarship messages received through social media platforms, messaging applications, emails or other online channels.
J&K Police advised people not to trust scholarship offers they have not applied for, particularly when such offers are accompanied by requests for personal information, banking details or payments.
The police also cautioned against sharing sensitive information through unknown or suspicious links. People should avoid entering bank account numbers, card details, passwords, PINs, one-time passwords or other financial information on unverified websites or forms.
Another key warning relates to bank accounts. Police advised people never to open a bank account or hand over access to an existing account at someone else's request.
Such accounts can potentially be used as “money mule” accounts, through which proceeds of cyber fraud and other illegal transactions are transferred. Individuals whose accounts are used in such activities could face serious legal and financial consequences, even if they claim they were unaware of the fraudulent transactions.
The police stressed the importance of independently verifying scholarship announcements before responding to any offer.
People have been advised to check scholarship details through the official websites of government departments, educational institutions or recognised scholarship authorities rather than relying on links or information received from unknown sources.
The advisory also urged parents, students and job seekers to exercise greater caution while responding to online offers promising financial assistance, scholarships or other benefits.
Cybercriminals often exploit the eagerness of people to avail themselves of financial opportunities and may use convincing messages, fake websites and forged documents to make fraudulent offers appear legitimate. |
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