Rs.13,000 cash-prize scam, warning issued

The National Cyber Emergency Response Team in Pakistan has issued an alert for an online scam targeting people by offering a fake cash prize of Rs.13,000.

The scam, circulated through SMS and WhatsApp messages, uses the country’s Independence Day celebrations to lure recipients with the promise of a cash reward.

Authorities say the messages contain malicious links. Clicking on the links or entering personal information could expose users to the theft of sensitive personal and financial data and potentially result in financial losses.

The National Cyber Emergency Response Team has urged people not to click on suspicious links, respond to the messages, or forward them to others.

People who receive such messages have been advised to delete them immediately and block and report the sender.

The cybersecurity team has also urged users to verify suspicious links or URLs through its official Phish Radar portal before opening them.