Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Electoral Officer C. Sudarshan Reddy warned voters against fake ECI WhatsApp messages and fraudulent alerts circulated in the name of the Election Commission of India.
The CEO said cyber fraudsters were sending messages about alleged discrepancies between voters’ details and enumeration forms. Some messages falsely claimed that authorities had rejected the recipients’ forms.
The messages then directed recipients to click on links to complete the supposed verification process. Sudarshan Reddy cautioned voters against opening such links.
Some messages also demanded a payment of ₹5 to complete the process. They asked recipients to provide net banking, credit card or debit card details.
Fake ECI WhatsApp messages seek banking details from voters
Sudarshan Reddy warned that such links could help cyber criminals obtain sensitive financial information. The stolen information could include login credentials, passwords and ATM PINs.
The CEO clarified that the Election Commission of India does not send such messages or make calls asking voters for banking details. The Telangana Chief Electoral Office also does not seek such financial information.
He urged voters to avoid clicking on unknown or suspicious links. People should also refrain from sharing banking information in response to such messages.
Sudarshan Reddy asked voters who receive suspicious messages or calls to approach the nearest police station. He advised people to remain cautious when responding to election-related communications.
The warning came after fraudulent messages began circulating in the name of the ECI. The messages falsely linked voter information and enumeration forms with payment requests.
The CEO reiterated that voters should not provide financial details through such messages. He also advised them to avoid links received from unknown sources.
Sudarshan Reddy urged voters to verify election-related communications before taking any action. The Telangana Chief Electoral Office does not seek banking credentials through messages or calls.