Children and teenagers who follow popular influencers online are being warned about a new cyber scam in which criminals create fake social media profiles and promise expensive gifts to gain access to their accounts.
According to a cyber awareness advisory reported by The Pioneer Edge, scammers are using the names and photographs of popular influencers and content creators to make fake offers, sometimes promising prizes such as an iPhone.
How the scam works
The fraud often begins with an attractive gift offer sent through social media. Children may then be asked to keep the offer secret from their parents and delete the conversation.
The scammers subsequently ask victims to dial codes such as *21 or 401 followed by a number. These can activate call forwarding on a mobile phone, potentially allowing criminals to intercept calls containing WhatsApp verification codes and take control of the account.
Once an account is compromised, criminals can contact family members and friends while pretending to be the victim and make false requests for money.
Parents can help children stay safe
The incident highlights why children need to understand that an online profile is not necessarily genuine, even when it uses a familiar influencer’s name and photograph.
India’s National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal advises parents to discuss responsible social media use with children, review privacy settings and avoid suspicious links or attachments. It also recommends parental controls on devices used by children.
Cyber officials have advised users never to dial unknown codes at the request of someone online. WhatsApp’s two-step verification should also be enabled with a six-digit PIN.
If someone falls victim to cyber fraud in India, the incident can be reported through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or by calling 1930.
For parents, the most important lesson is simple: a promised online gift is never worth risking a child’s account, privacy or family finances.