Stay safe › Scams
Fake shopping sites and sale links
An iPhone for ₹999 in a "Big Billion" sale link. The site is a copy, and your card details go to scammers.
How it works
During festival sales, scammers copy the look of big shopping sites and share links on WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS and social media ads. The prices are unbelievable. When you order, you pay into the scammers’ account or enter card details and an OTP on their page. Nothing arrives, and your card may be misused later.
The official warning
In October 2026, Kerala Police warned against fake festival-sale offers and shopping sites that use web addresses with small spelling changes to look like popular platforms. They advised buying only through official apps or by typing the website address, avoiding links from messaging apps and social media, never sharing OTPs, and calling 1930 if you are cheated.
The rule
The real sale is in the real app. Open it yourself.
If it has already happened
- If you paid or entered card details, call your bank to block the card or UPI and report the payment.
- Call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in with screenshots and the website address.
- Report the ad or page to the platform where you saw it.
Protect yourself
- Shop in the official app, or type the website address yourself.
- Check the spelling of the address before paying, and don't shop from links in messages or ads.
- If a deal looks unbelievable, it is. Compare the price on the official app.
Say it simply
Forward sale links to the family group only after checking them on the official app.
Big discounts in WhatsApp messages are usually traps. Ask family before buying.
Where to report
- Cybercrime helpline 1930Money has been taken or a payment was tricked out of you. Call at once: the sooner, the better the chance of freezing it.Call 1930
- Your bank, directlyBlock your card or UPI, and report the transaction. Use the number on your card or the bank's official app, never one from a message.Number on your card
- National Cyber Crime Reporting PortalFile a complaint about any cyber fraud, harassment, sextortion or morphed images.cybercrime.gov.in
- The app or platformReport and block the account on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube or wherever it happened, so it can be taken down.Report in the app
Learn more
Free wifi traps and the padlock
How fake "evil twin" wifi networks work, what the padlock and HTTPS mean, and what to do before typing a password in public.
Fake prizes, popups and malware
Why "you are our millionth visitor" is always a trick, how fake popups install malware, and what to do if your phone starts acting strange.