Pratapgarh police alert students to APK fraud and emerging cyber threats

Pratapgarh police are running a sustained public awareness campaign to prevent cyber crimes and educate citizens about emerging digital threats. On Wednesday, the cyber cell and Mission Shakti team from Raniganj police station organized a cyber awareness program at Devki Vidya Mandir in Fatehpur, where they alerted female students to new methods of online fraud, with special emphasis on APK fraud.

The police team explained that cyber criminals use WhatsApp, SMS, and other channels to send fake links in the name of parcel delivery, pending electricity bills, bank KYC updates, and government schemes. They trick people into downloading and installing APK files to gain access to sensitive information stored on mobile phones. Once a fraudulent app is installed, criminals can obtain unauthorized access to SMS, OTP, contacts, and other data, which can then be misused for banking and financial fraud.

Officers advised students to download mobile applications only from Google Play Store or Apple App Store and avoid clicking on unknown links. They warned against downloading or installing any suspicious APK files received via WhatsApp or SMS. Students were also cautioned not to grant unnecessary permissions like SMS, Contacts, Camera, or Accessibility to unfamiliar apps. The team stressed that confidential information such as bank account details, ATM or debit card numbers, OTP, UPI PIN, and CVV should never be shared with anyone, and remote access or screen sharing apps should not be installed at the request of strangers.

The police informed that in case of cyber fraud or unauthorized withdrawal from accounts, citizens should immediately contact the cyber helpline number 1930 or file an online complaint at www.cybercrime.gov.in. Students were urged to protect themselves from cyber crimes and spread awareness about new fraud methods and preventive measures among their families, friends, and communities. The program was attended by head constable Pratibha Singh, constables Chandni Vishwakarma and Priyanka Kushwaha from the cyber cell and Mission Shakti team. Raniganj police confirmed that such campaigns for cyber crime prevention, women's safety, and public awareness will continue in the future.