Police in Kerala on Saturday warned the public against cyber fraudsters sending fake notifications in the name of India’s Cyber Crime Coordination Center to extort money from individuals and institutions.
In a statement, the police said that fraudulent notifications are being spread through digital platforms such as email and WhatsApp.
The fake notices allegedly accuse recipients of activities such as illegal foreign currency transactions through their IP addresses and accessing obscene websites, including those involving children, and claim that cases have been filed against them.
Scammers threaten victims with arrest warrants, court proceedings and police cases and demand money to drop charges, the statement said.
In some cases, victims are asked to respond within 24 hours via WhatsApp or email, or face legal action.
The police clarified that neither the government nor any law enforcement agency sends such threatening notices or demands money through email or messaging platforms.
People have been advised not to click on suspicious links and not to share bank details with unknown persons.
If they receive such messages, the public should immediately report them to the cyber helpline:1930 or through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, the police said.
The statement added that reporting cyber fraud within the first two hours – referred to as the “golden hour” – can significantly increase the chances of recovering lost money.
Published – 07 March 2026 21:25 IST
