Jaipur, May 23 (IANS) The Rajasthan Police on Friday issued an advisory warning citizens about cybercriminals’ new deceptive techniques for hacking mobile devices and stealing sensitive information.

Under the directives of DGP, Cyber Crime, Hemant Priyadarshi, cyber commandos and cybersecurity experts at the Police Headquarters are actively working to raise public awareness and prevent online fraud.

A detailed advisory has been issued to educate citizens about a growing threat.

Mahesh Kumar, Cyber Commando at Police Headquarters, explained that the attack often uses a technique called ‘Steganography’, where malicious code is secretly embedded inside a photo, video, or audio file.

“This hidden data becomes active once the file is opened, allowing the attacker to forward messages and calls from your device, steal bank OTPs and withdraw money, download malicious APK files without your knowledge, gain complete control of your personal data and phone functions and many more,” Kumar said.

He shared that in many cases, cybercriminals send fake emails or SMS messages with enticing offers, lottery wins, or government scheme benefits. These messages contain links that lead to counterfeit websites – clones of banking sites, government portals, or e-commerce platforms. Once you input personal details like bank account numbers, passwords, or OTPs, the data is captured and used to siphon funds or commit identity theft.

“A new scam involves sending users a photo of a person with a message asking them to identify. If the recipient downloads the image, it activates malicious code that gives the hacker access to the user’s phone and social media accounts,” it said.

The police advisory asked users to turn off auto-download of media files in WhatsApp and other messaging apps, not open or download files or click links sent by unknown or suspicious contacts, avoid sharing personal information on unverified websites or through unfamiliar messages, update device software regularly and install reliable antivirus apps.

People should report cyber incidents immediately to their nearest police station or the Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) and protect their digital identity by following these essential precautions, it said.

–IANS

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