Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Police has warned residents against fake census verification links being circulated online, saying fraudsters are using them to steal personal and banking information.
The advisory said people should not click on unverified links claiming to be related to census verification, and should not share Aadhaar details, one-time passwords (OTP), PINs, bank account information or passwords with unknown individuals or websites.
What to watch for
Police clarified that official census authorities never ask for financial information, including OTPs, PINs or bank account details, through phone calls, text messages or online links. Any communication making such a request should be treated as fraudulent.
Citizens have been urged to verify the authenticity of any census-related communication before responding.
Suspicious links, messages or fraud attempts can be reported on the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 or on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
