The Tamil Nadu Police cybercrime wing has issued a series of public advisories urging residents across the state to stay alert against a growing wave of online fraud, including bogus lottery prizes, fraudulent instant loan apps, fake scholarship offers, and deceptive grocery discount promotions. The warnings, issued on 1 October 2026, caution that these seemingly attractive offers are designed to steal money and harvest personal information.

How the Scams Operate

According to the cybercrime wing, fraudsters are exploiting messaging platforms and social media to circulate fabricated offers. One of the most common schemes involves messages informing recipients that they have won a lottery prize. Victims are then asked to pay processing fees, taxes, or other charges before the winnings are released — money that is never recovered and a scheme that has no legitimate prize behind it.

Fake grocery promotions are another tool being used. These advertisements, designed to mimic offers from known retailers, lure users into clicking links that expose them to data theft or financial fraud. Police advised consumers to verify any promotional offer directly through a retailer's official website or application, and to never share one-time passwords or banking details in response to any such message.

Fraudulent Loan Apps and Scholarship Scams

The advisories also flagged a sharp rise in fraudulent loan applications that promise quick or instant access to funds. According to police, these apps are engineered to harvest users' personal data, which scammers then weaponise to harass victims over fabricated repayment obligations. Residents have been specifically warned against downloading loan applications promoted through unsolicited advertisements.

Scholarship-related scams form yet another category of concern. These schemes typically impersonate government or institutional programmes, targeting students and families with promises of financial assistance that require upfront fees or personal disclosures. The advisory warned the public to verify scholarship information only through official government portals.

What Police Are Asking the Public to Do

Across all these schemes, the cybercrime wing has emphasised one consistent precaution: verify the source before acting. Citizens should avoid clicking on unknown links, refuse to share sensitive financial or personal data, and treat any offer that demands an advance payment with suspicion — regardless of how official it may appear.

The wing has also been publishing awareness videos through its official social media handles to explain how these frauds are executed and what steps individuals can take to protect themselves.

Reporting Cybercrime

Anyone who loses money to online fraud, or encounters suspicious digital activity, is urged to call the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 or report the incident through cybercrime.gov.in. Early reporting significantly improves the chances of recovering funds and tracing the perpetrators, officials noted.

This is not the first time Tamil Nadu's cybercrime wing has stepped up public outreach — the state has seen a steady rise in online fraud complaints over recent years, mirroring a national trend in which digital scams have increasingly targeted first-time internet users, students, and senior citizens.