PIB Fact Check, formerly known as the Press Information Bureau (PIB), issued an alert via its X handle (formerly Twitter), warning about a fraudulent SMS circulating under the guise of India Post. The message falsely claims that a package awaits delivery at a warehouse and urges recipients to update their address details within 48 hours to prevent the package from being returned. The alert emphasized that this SMS is deceptive and cautioned against clicking on the embedded link (indisposegvs.top/IN), which could compromise personal data.
Have you also received an SMS from @IndiaPostOffice stating that your package has arrived at the warehouse, further asking you to update your address details within 48 hours to avoid the package being returned ⁉️#PIBFactCheck
✔️Beware! This message is #fake pic.twitter.com/8tRfGDqn1r
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) June 17, 2024
The threat posed by this fake India Post SMS involves potential access by hackers to users’ personal information through malicious software or viruses installed when accessing the provided link. This data could subsequently be exploited for fraudulent purposes. The government advisory reiterated that India Post does not send such messages requesting address updates for delivery purposes.
To safeguard against such threats, users are advised:
- Exercise caution with messages from unverified sources.
- Refrain from clicking on links in suspicious SMS or emails.
- Avoid sharing personal or financial information online.
- Report any suspicious messages to the police cyber cell via 1930 or through cybercrime.gov.in.
These measures are crucial to protecting personal data and preventing falling victim to phishing attacks.
