Online Scams in India: The 12 Most Common Frauds, How to Spot Them and How to Report Them

• Almost every scam uses urgency, fear or greed, and asks you to act now without checking.
• No bank, government agency or company will ever ask for your OTP, UPI PIN, CVV or password.
• You need your UPI PIN only to send money, never to receive it.
• No police officer can arrest you on a video call.
• If you lose money, call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in immediately, and call your bank.

The 12 most common online scams in India

1. Fake KYC and account-block messages

An SMS or call says your bank account, SIM or electricity connection will be blocked unless you "update KYC" today. A link leads to a fake bank page, or the caller asks you to install an app or read out an OTP.

Spot it: banks do not block accounts through SMS links. Update KYC only at your branch or through the official app.

2. UPI "collect" requests and QR codes

You are selling something online, or expecting a refund, and the "buyer" sends a payment request or a QR code to "receive" money. Entering your PIN or scanning the code sends money instead.

Spot it: if anyone asks you to enter your UPI PIN or scan a QR code to receive money, it is a scam.

3. Fake customer care numbers

You search online for a bank, airline or delivery company's helpline, call the first number you see, and reach a scammer who asks you to install a screen-sharing app "to fix the problem".

Spot it: take helpline numbers only from the company's official website or app. Never install AnyDesk, TeamViewer or similar apps at a stranger's request.

4. Digital arrest

A "courier" call about an illegal parcel leads to a video call with fake police or CBI officers, who keep you on camera and demand money to "clear your name". There is no such thing as a digital arrest in Indian law. Our explainer on the digital arrest scam shows how it works.

5. Investment and trading groups

You are added to a WhatsApp or Telegram group where "experts" share stock tips and screenshots of huge profits. You are then asked to trade through an app or website that shows fake gains, until you try to withdraw.

Spot it: guaranteed or very high returns, pressure to invest more, and apps not linked to a SEBI-registered broker. Check any adviser on SEBI's website.

6. Part-time job and "task" scams

A message offers easy money for liking videos or writing reviews. The first few tasks pay small amounts. Then you are asked to "invest" to unlock bigger tasks, and the money disappears.

Spot it: a real job never asks you to pay to earn.

7. Loan app traps

Instant-loan apps lend small sums, then demand huge, hidden fees and threaten borrowers by sending morphed photos to their contacts.

Spot it: borrow only from banks and from lenders regulated by the RBI. Do not give an app access to your contacts and photos.

8. Sextortion

A stranger on social media or a dating app starts a video call, records it, and threatens to share edited, explicit clips unless you pay.

What to do: do not pay, as it never ends there. Stop contact, save evidence and report on cybercrime.gov.in, which has a dedicated section for such crimes.

9. Fake shopping sites and sale offers

Lookalike shopping sites and social media ads offer branded goods at impossible prices during festive sales. Our guide to festive sale scams lists the red flags.

10. Courier, e-challan and electricity bill messages

Messages claim a parcel is "on hold", a traffic fine is unpaid or your power will be cut tonight, with a link to pay a small fee. The link steals your card details or installs malware.

Spot it: check fines on the official Parivahan site and bills on your power company's app, never through an SMS link.

11. SIM swap and OTP theft

Fraudsters get a duplicate SIM in your name, then receive your OTPs. A sudden loss of network signal on your phone is a warning sign.

Protect yourself: on the government's Sanchar Saathi portal, use TAFCOP to see how many mobile connections are registered in your name, and report any you do not recognise.

12. Deepfake voice and video

Scammers use AI to clone a relative's voice in a fake emergency call, or a celebrity's face to promote a fake investment. Our guide to deepfakes and AI scams explains how to check.

Protect yourself: agree on a family code word for emergencies, and call back on a number you already have.

The warning signs every scam shares

1. Unexpected contact: you did not start the conversation.
2. Urgency: "today", "in 30 minutes", "last chance".
3. Fear or greed: arrest, account block, or easy money.
4. Secrecy: "do not tell anyone".
5. A request to move money, share an OTP or PIN, scan a QR code, click a link or install an app.

If two or more of these appear together, stop. Hang up, and check through an official channel you find yourself.

How to protect yourself and your family

• Turn on transaction alerts for every bank account and card.
• Set daily limits on UPI and cards in your banking app, and switch off international and online use for cards you do not use online.
• Use separate accounts: keep savings in an account that is not linked to UPI.
• Never share OTP, PIN, CVV, passwords or screen access.
• Keep apps updated and download only from official app stores.
• Use two-factor authentication for email and social media.
• Talk to older relatives. Agree on a simple rule: no money moves after an unexpected call until they have spoken to you.

What to do if you are scammed

1. Call 1930 or file at cybercrime.gov.in at once. The faster you report, the better the chance that money can be frozen before it is moved on.
2. Call your bank to block cards, UPI and net banking, and note the complaint number.
3. Save evidence: screenshots, numbers, links and transaction IDs.
4. File an FIR with your complaint's acknowledgement number if asked.

Under the RBI's rules, if an unauthorised transaction happens because of a breach on the bank's side or elsewhere in the system, and you report it within three working days, your liability is zero. Our step-by-step guide to reporting on 1930 and cybercrime.gov.in explains the process and the refund rules in detail.

Suspicious call or message, but no money lost? Report it on Chakshu on the Sanchar Saathi portal. Lost your phone? Block it through CEIR on the same portal.

A safety checklist for older parents

Older people are targeted most often because scammers count on politeness, trust in authority and unfamiliarity with apps. Sit with your parents for fifteen minutes and set up these protections:

1. Save the important numbers in their phone: 1930, the bank's official fraud line, and your own number marked "Call me first".
2. Lower their UPI daily limit and remove UPI from any account holding large savings.
3. Silence unknown callers on WhatsApp and set "Who can add me to groups" to "My contacts".
4. Remove screen-sharing apps they do not need.
5. Practise one phrase: "I will call you back on the official number." Real officials never object.
6. Agree on a family code word to confirm any emergency call that asks for money.

How to check before you act

• A phone number: look it up on the official website of the organisation it claims to be, not in a search ad or a social media post.
• A link: look closely at the address. Scam sites often add or swap one letter, or use extra words such as "-support" or "-offer".
• An investment adviser or broker: check SEBI's list of registered intermediaries on sebi.gov.in.
• A loan app: check whether the lender is a bank or an RBI-regulated lender, and whether the app names it clearly.
• A job offer: check the company's official careers page. Real recruiters do not ask for fees.

What the government is doing

The Home Ministry's Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) runs the 1930 helpline and the national reporting portal. Following Supreme Court hearings on digital arrests, the ministry has set out procedures for freezing fraud-linked accounts and returning recovered money. The telecom department has ordered messaging apps to link accounts to active SIM cards. Banks are using the RBI's MuleHunter.AI to find mule accounts that receive stolen money.

Many scam operations are run from compounds in South-East Asia, often staffed by trafficked workers, which makes enforcement harder and makes prevention and fast reporting all the more important.

Common questions

Will I definitely get my money back if I report quickly? Not definitely, but a fast report gives the best chance. Money that has already been withdrawn or moved abroad is much harder to recover.

Is it safe to use UPI at all? Yes. UPI itself is secure. Almost all UPI frauds work by tricking people into approving a payment or sharing their PIN, not by breaking the system.

Can I get into trouble if someone used my bank account for fraud? Renting or selling your bank account, or letting someone else use it, is illegal. Such "mule" accounts are frozen and their owners can face prosecution. Never let anyone use your account or SIM.

Guides in this series

• Digital Arrest Scam Explained: How It Works, the Warning Signs and What to Do
• Lost Money to a Scam? How to Report on 1930 and cybercrime.gov.in, Step by Step
• Deepfakes and AI Scams: How to Recognise What Is Real
• Festive Sale Scams: How to Spot Fake Deals in 2026