Hyderabad: Police have warned citizens against the SIR OTP scam, saying fraudsters are posing as election officials to steal money from bank accounts by obtaining one-time passwords.
According to the advisory, scammers are calling people while claiming to represent the Election Office, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) or other election authorities. They tell victims that they need to verify whether their names appear in the 2002 electoral rolls under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
The callers then ask people to share an OTP sent to their mobile phones. Police warned that fraudsters can misuse the OTP to gain access to banking services and siphon money from victims’ accounts.
Officials stressed that no authorised election official will ask any voter to disclose an OTP. They urged citizens to refuse such requests and end the call immediately.
SIR OTP scam prompts safety advisory
Police advised the public not to share OTPs with anyone, regardless of the caller’s claim or designation. They also cautioned people against responding to threats or pressure from fraudsters.
Authorities said similar SIR OTP scam incidents have already been reported. They urged anyone who receives such calls to report the matter to the police and remain vigilant against cyber fraud.