With the announcement of exam results, cybercriminals have ramped up their activities by especially targeting Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) and Pre-University (PU) students and their parents through fake scholarship schemes.
Police sources say in one of the such cases, a person received a call from scamsters about scholarships available from the union government and a fake website link was shared promising instant scholarship after providing personal details.
Scamsters had shared QR Codes to parents of the students promising scholarships and several people had lost their hard earned money, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
Dr Ananth Prabhu, a cyber security expert from Mangaluru, said that scams often appear highly convincing, using cloned websites of reputed institutions, phishing emails, and messages promising large scholarship amounts or guaranteed approvals.
Victims are tricked into filling out bogus forms with sensitive data such as Aadhaar and bank account details, and people are often asked to pay a small registration or processing fee.
What makes these scams dangerous is that they exploit the hope and urgency of students looking for financial aid, especially those from economically weaker backgrounds.
Fraudsters also use social media, fake helpline numbers, and even Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated responses to make their schemes appear legitimate and trusted. Cyber criminals contact using calls, email, WhatsApp and SMS.
"Students are further deceived through fake mobile apps and social media pages that impersonate official scholarship bodies. Some victims are manipulated into sharing OTPs or downloading malware, resulting in loss of personal data or money. Scammers also request scanned documents and selfies for identity theft. To stay safe, students must verify scholarships through official portals like the National Scholarship Portal or UGC (University Grants Commission) websites and consult their schools or colleges before proceeding. Parents should stay involved, and awareness programs on cyber hygiene should be made mandatory during this crucial period. If anyone falls victim, it is important to report the fraud immediately at cybercrime.gov.in so that timely action can be taken," Dr Ananth Prabhu said.
Meanwhile, city police have cautioned the public against such links available on social media platforms, according to the report by The New Indian Express.
Mangaluru city police commissioner Anupam Agrawal appealed to students and parents to be cautious and said, "PU examination results have already been declared and soon SSLC results also will be announced. Several cases of conning gullible students and parents are being reported across the country. People can contact the 1930 helpline if they receive such fraudulent links," he said.
