Festival shoppers face fake sites, fake apps and fake refund calls

Diwali shopping is in full swing, and scammers are working the same crowd. Bhaskar English reports on a warning from Rahul Mishra, a cyber security adviser with the Uttar Pradesh Police. Fake websites, fake apps, bogus ads, QR codes, delivery texts and phony support calls are all being used to get shoppers to hand over money or private details.

Why it spikes at Diwali

Stores push big discounts, cashbacks and free gifts this time of year, so lots of people are buying clothes, electronics, sweets and home decor. Mishra says criminals use that rush. They push limited-time offers to create pressure. In a hurry, people skip the basic check of whether the site or the deal is real.

What to watch for

The scams follow a few patterns. Each one is built to look like something you already trust.

• Copycat websites and apps with brand names and logos, shared through social media, messages or APK files.
• Social media ads that reuse real company photos, then vanish or block you after you pay.
• QR codes or payment requests posing as gifts or cashback. Accepting them takes money out.
• Reward calls or forms that ask for a fee to release a prize.
• Texts about a held parcel that ask for a small delivery fee, then lead to a page that steals card details.

Fake customer care is another route. Scammers post false support numbers on search engines and forums. When you call about a problem, they promise a quick refund and then trick you into installing an app.

Who is most at risk

Anyone who shops online or pays by UPI, India's instant payment system, is a possible target. That includes people on e-commerce apps, social media and payment apps. Shoppers who stick to official apps and websites, and who ignore links and numbers in texts, are far less exposed. A rushed tap on a too-good deal is how most of these scams succeed.

What to do

The steps in the alert box above cover the basics. The idea behind them is simple. You never need a PIN or a QR scan to receive money, and a real company will not ask for your OTP. If something pushes you to act fast, treat that as the warning sign.

What is not clear

The report does not say how many people have lost money this season or how much. It also does not name any specific fake sites or apps. The article's headline promises 10 types of fraud, but the main ones are the scams described here.