Metro India News | Hyderabad 

The Cybercrime Unit of Hyderabad City Police urges citizens to stay alert during the festive season, especially around Diwali, as cybercriminals intensify scams via fake e-commerce sites, phishing links, malicious APKs, and deceptive social media ads offering unbelievable discounts.

Fraudsters share counterfeit apps and websites mimicking trusted platforms through WhatsApp, SMS, and social media. Once downloaded, these APKs install malware, compromising personal and financial data. Victims are tricked into entering sensitive banking details via fake payment gateways or festive offer pages. Messages claiming Diwali gift wins prompt users to pay processing fees or share banking credentials, resulting in fraud.

Fraudsters advertise deep discounts on branded items. After payment, the pages vanish, and no product is delivered. A woman from Secunderabad lost Rs 1.4 lakh after falling for a fake Diwali gift offer. In another case, a 69-year-old Hyderabad man lost Rs 1.02 lakh after installing a fake Blinkit support APK, allowing remote access to his bank details.