Advisory for APS School Students
Pretext
The Army Welfare Education Society has informed the Parents and students that a Scam is targeting the Army schools Students. The Scamster approaches the students by faking the voice of a female and a male. The scamster asks for the personal information and photos of the students by telling them they are taking details for the event, which is being organised by the Army welfare education society for the celebration of independence day. The Army welfare education society intimated that Parents to beware of these calls from scammers.
The students of Army Schools of Jammu & Kashmir, Noida, are getting calls from the scamster. The students were asked to share sensitive information. Students across the country are getting calls and WhatsApp messages from two numbers, which end with 1715 and 2167. The Scamster are posing to be teachers and asking for the students’ names on the pretext of adding them to the WhatsApp Groups. The scamster then sends forms links to the WhatsApp groups and asking students to fill out the form to seek more sensitive information.
Do’s
- Do Make sure to verify the caller.
- Do block the caller while finding it suspicious.
- Do be careful while sharing personal Information.
- Do inform the School Authorities while receiving these types of calls and messages posing to be teachers.
- Do Check the legitimacy of any agency and organisation while telling the details
- Do Record Calls asking for personal information.
- Do inform parents about scam calling.
- Do cross-check the caller and ask for crucial information.
- Do make others aware of the scam.
Don’ts
- Don’t answer anonymous calls or unknown calls from anyone.
- Don’t share personal information with anyone.
- Don’t Share OTP with anyone.
- Don’t open suspicious links.
- Don’t fill any forms, asking for personal information
- Don’t confirm your identity until you know the caller.
- Don’t Reply to messages asking for financial information.
- Don’t go to a fake website by following a prompt call.
- Don’t share bank Details and passwords.
- Don’t Make payment over a prompt fake call.
Related Blogs
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Executive Summary:
Cyber incidents are evolving along with time, they are designed to attract and lure people through social networking sites and/or messaging services. In the recent past a spate of messages alleging that TRAI is offering ‘3 months free recharge with free voice calls and internet for 4g/5g with 200 GB free data’. These messages display the TRAI logo with attractive offers to trick the users into revealing their personal details. This blog discusses the functioning of this free mobile recharge scheme, its methods and guidelines on how to avoid such fake schemes. This blog explains the importance of vigilance and verification when receiving any links, emphasizing the need to report suspicious activities and educate others to prevent identity theft and protect personal information.
Claim:
The message circulated an enticing offer: free mobile recharge for 3 months which provides unlimited free voice calls with 200GB 4G/5G data with TRAI logo. The key characteristics of the false claims are
- Official Branding: The logo of TRAI has been viewed as a deceptive facade of credibility.
- Unrealistic Offers: It is accompanied by a free recharge , which is intended for an extended period indefinite period, like most fraudsters’ bait.
- Urgency and Exclusivity: The offer is for a limited time to make urgency forcing the receiver to take the offer without confirmation.
The Deceptive Scheme:
Organized systematically, the fraudulent campaign usually proceeds in several steps, all of which aim at extracting the victim’s personal data. Here’s a breakdown of the scheme:
1. Initial Contact: Such messages or calls reach the users’ inboxes or phone numbers through social media applications such as WhatsApp or through text messages. These messages further implies that the user was chosen for the special offer from TRAI, which elicits the interest of the user.
2. Information Request: To claim the purported offer, users are directed to a website or asked to reply with personal details, including:
- Phone number
- State of residence
- SIM provider details
This is useful for the scammers as they harvest information which can be used to conduct identity theft or sold to others on the shady part of the internet known as the ‘Dark Web’.
3. Fake Confirmation: After providing all the information, a congratulatory message appears on the screen showing that their phone number is eligible for the offer. The user is compelled to forward the message to many phone numbers through whatsapp to get the offer.
4. Pressure Tactics: The message often implies a sense of time constraint or fear which psychologically produces pressure to provide all the user information. For example, users are given messages such as that if they do not ‘act now’, they will lose their mobile service.
Analyzing the Fraudulent Campaign
The TRAI fraudulent recharge scheme case depicts that social engineering is used in cyber crimes. Here are some key aspects that characterize this campaign:
- Sophisticated Social Engineering
Scammers take advantage of the holders’ confidence in official bodies such as TRAI. By using official TRAI logos, official language they try to deceive even cautious people.
- Viral Spread
The user is compelled to share the given message to friends and groups; this is an excellent strategy to spread the scam. It not only spreads the fraudulent message but also tries to extract the details of other people.
- Technical Analysis
- Domain Name: SGOFF[.]CYOU
- Registry Domain ID: D472308342-CNIC
- Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.hkdns.hk
- Registrar URL: http://www.hkdns.hk
- Updated Date: 2024-07-24T18:50:48.0Z
- Creation Date: 2024-07-19T18:48:44.0Z
- Registry Expiry Date: 2025-07-19T23:59:59.0Z
- Registrar: West263 International Limited
- Registrar IANA ID: 1915
- Registrant State/Province: Anhui
- Registrant Country: CN
- Name Server: NORMAN.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
- Name Server: PAM.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
- DNSSEC: unsigned
Cloudflare Inc. is used to cover the scam. The real website always uses the older domain while this url has been registered recently which indicates that this link is a scam.
The graph indicates that some of the communicated files and websites are malicious.
CyberPeace Advisory and Best Practice:
In light of the growing threat posed by such scams, the Research Wing of CyberPeace recommend the following best practices to help users protect themselves:
1. Verify Communications: It is always advisable to visit the official site of the organization or call the official contact numbers of the company to speak to their customer care and clarify about the offers.
2. Do not share personal information: No genuine organization will call the people for personal information. Step carefully and do not provide personal information that will lead to identity theft when dealing with such offers.
3. Report Fraudulent Activity: If one receives any calls or messages that seem to be suspicious, then the user can report cyber crimes to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal on www. cybercrime. gov. in or call on 1930. Such scams are reportable and assist the authorities in tracking and fighting the vice.
4. Educate Others : Always raise awareness among friends by sharing these kinds of scams. Educating people helps to avoid them falling prey to such fraudulent schemes.
5. Use Reliable Resources : Always refer to official sources or websites for any kind of offers or promotions.
Conclusion:
The free recharge scheme for 3 months with the logo of TRAI is a fraudulent scam. There is no official information from TRAI or in their official website about this free recharge scheme. Though the scheme looks attractive, it is deceptive. Through this, the scammers are trying to collect personal details of the individual. Before clicking any links, it is necessary to check the authenticity of the information, report these kinds of incidents to spread awareness among people. Always be safe and be vigilant.
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Introduction
India's Competition Commission of India (CCI) on 18th November 2024 imposed a ₹213 crore penalty on Meta for abusing its dominant position in internet-based messaging through WhatsApp and online display advertising. The CCI order is passed against abuse of dominance by the Meta and relates to WhatsApp’s 2021 Privacy Policy. The CCI considers Meta a dominant player in internet-based messaging through WhatsApp and also in online display advertising. WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy update undermined users' ability to opt out of getting their data shared with the group's social media platform Facebook. The CCI directed WhatsApp not to share user data collected on its platform with other Meta companies or products for advertising purposes for five years.
CCI Contentions
The regulator contended that for purposes other than advertising, WhatsApp's policy should include a detailed explanation of the user data shared with other Meta group companies or products specifying the purpose. The regulator also stated that sharing user data collected on WhatsApp with other Meta companies or products for purposes other than providing WhatsApp services should not be a condition for users to access WhatsApp services in India. CCI order is significant as it upholds user consent as a key principle in the functioning of social media giants, similar to the measures taken by some other markets.
Meta’s Stance
WhatsApp parent company Meta has expressed its disagreement with the Competition Commission of India's(CCI) decision to impose a Rs 213 crore penalty on them over users' privacy concerns. Meta clarified that the 2021 update did not change the privacy of people's personal messages and was offered as a choice for users at the time. It also ensured no one would have their accounts deleted or lose functionality of the WhatsApp service because of this update.
Meta clarified that the update was about introducing optional business features on WhatsApp and providing further transparency about how they collect data. The company stated that WhatsApp has been incredibly valuable to people and businesses, enabling organization's and government institutions to deliver citizen services through COVID and beyond and supporting small businesses, all of which further the Indian economy. Meta plans to find a path forward that allows them to continue providing the experiences that "people and businesses have come to expect" from them. The CCI issued cease-and-desist directions and directed Meta and WhatsApp to implement certain behavioral remedies within a defined timeline.
The competition watchdog noted that WhatsApp's 2021 policy update made it mandatory for users to accept the new terms, including data sharing with Meta, and removed the earlier option to opt-out, categorized as an "unfair condition" under the Competition Act. It was further noted that WhatsApp’s sharing of users’ business transaction information with Meta gave the group entities an unfair advantage over competing platforms.
CyberPeace Outlook
The 2021 policy update by WhatsApp mandated data sharing with Meta's other companies group, removing the opt-out option and compelling users to accept the terms to continue using the platform. This policy undermined user autonomy and was deemed as an abuse of Meta's dominant market position, violating Section 4(2)(a)(i) of the Competition Act, as noted by CCI.
The CCI’s ruling requires WhatsApp to offer all users in India, including those who had accepted the 2021 update, the ability to manage their data-sharing preferences through a clear and prominent opt-out option within the app. This decision underscores the importance of user choice, informed consent, and transparency in digital data policies.
By addressing the coercive nature of the policy, the CCI ruling establishes a significant legal precedent for safeguarding user privacy and promoting fair competition. It highlights the growing acknowledgement of privacy as a fundamental right and reinforces the accountability of tech giants to respect user autonomy and market fairness. The directive mandates that data sharing within the Meta ecosystem must be based on user consent, with the option to decline such sharing without losing access to essential services.
References
As Generative AI continues to make strides by creating content through user prompts, the increasing sophistication of language models widens the scope of the services they can deliver. However, they have their own limitations. Recently, alerts by Apple Intelligence on the iPhone’s latest version have come under fire for misrepresenting news by news agencies.
The new feature was introduced with the aim of presenting an effective way to group and summarise app notifications in a single alert on a user’s lock screen. This was to enable an easier scan for important details amongst a large number of notifications, doing away with overwhelming updates for the user. This, however, resulted in the misrepresentation of news channels and reporting of fake news such as the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Luke Litter winning the PDC World Darts Championship even before the competition, tennis Player Rafael Nadal coming out as gay, among other news alerts. Following false alerts, BBC had complained about its journalism being misrepresented. In response, Apple’s proposed solution was to clarify to the user that when the text summary is displayed in the notifications, it is clearly stated to be a product of notification Apple Intelligence and not of the news agency. It also claimed the complexity of having to compress content into short summaries which resulted in fallacious alerts. Further comments revealed that the AI alert feature was in beta and is continuously being worked on depending on the user’s feedback. Owing to the backlash, Apple has suspended this service and announced that an improved version of the feature is set to be released in the near future, however, no dates have been set.
CyberPeace Insights
The rush to release new features often exacerbates the problem, especially when AI-generated alerts are responsible for summarising news reports. This can significantly damage the credibility and trust that brands have worked hard to build. The premature release of features that affect the dissemination, content, and public comprehension of information carries substantial risks, particularly in the current environment where misinformation is widespread. Timely action and software updates, which typically require weeks to implement, are crucial in mitigating these risks. The desire to be ahead in the game and bring out competitive features must not resolve the responsibility of providing services that are secure and reliable. This aforementioned incident highlights the inherent nature of generative AI, which operates by analysing the data it was trained on to deliver the best possible responses based on user prompts. However, these responses are not always accurate or reliable. When faced with prompts beyond its scope, AI systems often produce untrustworthy information, underlining the need for careful oversight and verification. A question to deliberate on is whether we require such services at all, which in practice, do save our time, but do so at the risk of the spread of false tidbits.
References
- https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/07/apple-update-ai-inaccurate-news-alerts-bbc-apple-intelligence-iphone
- https://www.firstpost.com/tech/apple-intelligence-hallucinates-falsely-credits-bbc-for-fake-news-broadcaster-lodges-complaint-13845214.html
- https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/08/apple-ai-fake-news-alerts-highlight-the-techs-misinformation-problem.html
- https://news.sky.com/story/apple-ai-feature-must-be-revoked-over-notifications-misleading-users-say-journalists-13288716
- https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/apple-to-pay-95-million-in-user-privacy-violation-lawsuit-on-siri-101735835058198.html
- https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/apple-denies-claims-of-siri-violating-user-privacy-after-95-million-class-action-suit-settlement-101736445941497.html#:~:text=Apple%20denies%20claims%20of%20Siri,action%20suit%20settlement%20%2D%20Hindustan%20Times
- https://www.google.com/search?q=apple+AI+alerts+misinformation&oq=apple+AI+alerts+misinformation+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigAdIBCTEyMzUxajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
- https://www.fastcompany.com/91261727/apple-intelligence-news-summaries-mistakes
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/siris-secret-listening-costs-apple-95m/articleshow/116906209.cms
- https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/17/apple-suspends-ai-generated-news-alert-service-after-bbc-complaint
