CHITTOOR: Chittoor District Collector K Sumit Kumar has urged the youth to stay vigilant against cyber frauds. Speaking at an event held at the District Collectorate meeting hall on Tuesday to mark Safer Internet Day, the Collector emphasised the importance of awareness among youth regarding cybercrimes.

He noted that ‘Safer Internet Day’ is observed globally on the second Tuesday of February every year, and as part of this initiative, the Chittoor district administration conducted awareness programmes.

The Collector highlighted the rising cases of cyber frauds, including digital arrest, KYC & OTP net banking frauds, investment scams, lottery scams, credit & debit card scams, phishing, fake apps, loan scams, work-from-home scams, job frauds and UPI scams. He stressed the need for citizens to exercise caution while using digital financial services.

Regarding internet safety, he advised people never to share OTPs, Aadhaar, PAN, or bank details over phone calls. He cautioned against unauthorised Aadhaar payment notifications and warned users not to click on links from unknown numbers claiming to require KYC updates. He urged citizens to ignore calls asking for personal information or money and advised against scanning QR codes or sharing OTPs/PINs for receiving payments, as scammers exploit these methods for fraud.

Furthermore, he cautioned the people against taking action based on voice calls claiming to be from the telecom department or TRAI. He advised users to avoid sharing personal details online to protect their digital identity and warned against fake courier services demanding fees for unbooked parcels. He also urged people to be sceptical of online investment schemes promising high returns.

The Collector recommended regularly reviewing app permissions on mobile devices and revoking unnecessary permissions. He stressed that no government agency, including the police, CBI or ED, would conduct investigations or arrests through video or voice calls. Additionally, he warned against using public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions.

He concluded by advising victims of cyber frauds to report incidents by calling 1930 or visiting the official cybercrime website www.cybercrime.gov.in.