Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police, Bhubaneswar-Kataka, on Saturday cautioned citizens against falling prey to investment scams and urged them to thoroughly verify investment opportunities before parting with their hard-earned money.
In an advisory, the police said cyber fraudsters are increasingly targeting people with promises of high returns and little or no risk. Such victims are often contacted through phone calls, messages, social media advertisements and online groups promoting lucrative investment schemes.
According to the police, fraudsters also use fake websites, mobile applications and forged documents to make fraudulent investment platforms appear genuine. After receiving money from victims, they may demand additional payments or cut off communication and disappear.
The police urged citizens to be particularly wary of schemes promising unrealistic returns, including offers to double money within a few days. Investment offers from unknown companies and unverified platforms should not be trusted without proper verification.
The advisory also warned against pressure tactics, such as being asked to invest immediately, keep the investment secret or pay additional money to withdraw supposed profits.
Citizens have been advised to verify the registration and credentials of companies and investment platforms through official regulatory websites, including those of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), wherever applicable.
The Commissionerate Police further cautioned people against sharing sensitive banking information, including OTPs, PINs, passwords and bank details, with unknown persons. People should also avoid downloading applications from unverified sources or clicking on suspicious links.
The police stressed that no police officer will ask anyone to invest money or transfer funds to a personal or unknown bank account. Any such demand should immediately be treated as a potential scam.
Citizens have also been advised to discuss investment proposals with family members or trusted persons before making financial commitments and to use only trusted and regulated investment channels.
Those who fall victim to cyber or investment fraud should immediately call the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 and report the incident through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in.
The Commissionerate Police appealed to citizens to stay alert, verify before investing and report suspected fraud without delay.
