A new wave of cyber fraud has now emerged across several regions as scammers take advantage of the ongoing voter-list update process.
These fraudsters also pose as election officials and even contact the citizens, claiming that their voter ID details require urgent verification.
They carefully mimic the tone and language of official staff to make the call sound correct and authentic. Once trust is built, they ask the person to share an OTP, supposedly which is being sent for voter verification.
However, the Election Commission has clearly stated that the voter-list update process does not require any OTP in the whole verification process.
In some cases, scammers also tend to go a step further and ask citizens to download an app named SIR.apk or a similar file.
This app is actually a kind of malware that when once installed thus allows the fraudsters to access the victim’s phone. They can therefore read messages, view contacts and even control financial apps.
Many people also tend to fall for this trap because they are unaware that no such application is needed for voter roll correction or verification.
Cybercrime units have currently reported multiple incidents where victims lost their money after unknowingly installing these malicious apps.
The biggest mistake that people make is sharing their OTPs or installing apps sent by unknown numbers.
Scammers often create pressure by saying that the voter ID will be blocked or removed if the verification is not done immediately.
This sudden urgency, which is being created by them, leads many to comply without thinking. Experts advise citizens to never share OTPs even if the caller claims to be from a government department.
To stay safe, people should only update or check their voter details through official Election Commission websites or local electoral offices.
Any call asking for OTPs, app download, or personal information should be treated as fraudulent. Awareness and caution remain the strongest defence against such voter list update scams.
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