Tracking Online Scams and Essential Safety Tips to Stay Protected

🛡️ Stay Safe Online: Google’s Guide to Avoiding Online Scams in India

Online scams are evolving rapidly, targeting users regardless of their technical expertise. At Google, our Trust & Safety teams actively track and analyze scam trends to safeguard users from financial fraud and cyber threats. By staying informed, you can protect yourself from common digital scams in India.

📢 Latest Scam Trends in India & How to Avoid Them

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🎭 AI-Generated Celebrity Investment Scams

Scammers create deepfake videos of celebrities and business leaders to promote fraudulent investments, commonly in cryptocurrency and stock trading.

🔍 Safety Tips:

• ⚠️ Be skeptical of investment advice from celebrities on social media.
• 🧐 Watch for unnatural facial movements in videos—these are signs of deepfake manipulation.
• ❌ Avoid investment schemes that promise unusually high returns.

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🌍 Exploitation of Major Events

Scammers exploit festivals and cultural events like Diwali, Dussehra, and Navratri by creating fake donation schemes and fraudulent travel bookings.

🔍 Safety Tips:

• ✅ Make purchases and donations through official websites.
• 🔗 Always verify the authenticity of a charity or travel agency.
• 🛡️ Check website URLs before clicking on unfamiliar links.

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✈️ Fake Travel & E-Commerce Scams

Scammers set up fake e-commerce and travel booking sites, targeting festival shoppers and religious pilgrims.

🔍 Safety Tips:

• 🛒 Always verify websites before making purchases.
• 🔍 Use Google’s ‘About this result’ feature to check website credibility.
• 💳 Be cautious of websites that push for UPI payments without verification.

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💻 Remote Access Tech Support Fraud

Scammers pose as representatives from tech companies, banks, and government agencies, urging victims to grant remote access to their devices.

🔍 Safety Tips:

• 🚫 Never allow remote access to your device via unsolicited calls or messages.
• ✅ Contact official customer support through verified sources.
• 🔐 Enhance security by enabling 2-Step Verification (2SV).

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💼 Job Scams: Fake High-Paying Offers

Scammers use fake job listings on social media and job portals to lure job seekers into fraudulent employment opportunities.

🔍 Safety Tips:

• ⚠️ Be cautious of job offers promising unrealistic salaries.
• 💰 Legitimate employers don’t ask for upfront payments.
• 🔍 Verify job offers through the official company website.

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🏦 Predatory Loan Apps

Scammers operate fake lending apps, offering quick loans with hidden high-interest rates and using extortion tactics to recover payments.

🔍 Safety Tips:

• ✅ Use only licensed financial institutions and official banking apps.
• 🚨 Avoid apps that request access to your contacts, photos, or location.
• 📢 Report suspicious loan apps on Google Play.

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🛡️ Google’s Commitment to User Protection

As online scams continue to evolve, we are enhancing our fraud detection systems and strengthening security measures. You can contribute to a safer internet by reporting scams on our platforms.

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📌 Keywords:

online scams India, digital fraud prevention, financial fraud awareness, tech support scams, job scams, predatory loan apps, fake investment scams, Google safety initiatives, Blogs by Gaurav Singh (gauravsinghigc)