Patna: Police in the eastern Indian city of Patna have issued a public warning ahead of the New Year, urging residents to remain vigilant against cyber scams disguised as festive greetings.
According to the cybercrime unit of Patna Police, fraudsters are circulating “Happy New Year” messages containing links or prompts to download files, which can lead to unauthorised access to bank accounts if clicked. Officials said the advisory was issued after a rise in cyber fraud cases during previous festive periods.
Cyber police officers said criminals often design visually appealing messages to lure users into clicking malicious links. Similar scams were reported last year, when several victims lost money after engaging with New Year greetings received on messaging platforms.
In an appeal shared through social media, Patna Police advised people not to click on links or download attachments received with unsolicited festive messages. They also urged citizens to avoid responding to calls or messages from unknown numbers.
Parents have been specifically asked to educate children about online safety and the risks of interacting with strangers on digital platforms.
Police further cautioned that fraudsters are exploiting the names of government welfare schemes to deceive people into sharing personal or financial details. To counter this, the Patna Cyber Police Station will begin a digital awareness campaign on social media from Monday.
As an additional precaution, residents have been advised to keep their SIM cards secured with PIN locks to prevent misuse in the event of theft or unauthorised access.
