Hyderabad: Telangana Cyber Security Bureau warned citizens about Holi online scams that used fake festive offers, party passes, shopping deals and gift links to steal money and personal data.
As Holi neared, cybercriminals circulated fraudulent discount messages and event booking links across WhatsApp, SMS, social media and email. These messages promised free gifts, colour combos and exclusive party entries to attract users.
However, when users clicked the links, fraudsters redirected them to counterfeit payment pages or triggered malicious app downloads. In many cases, scammers demanded advance payments for bookings, delivery charges or limited-period festive deals.
If victims shared OTPs, PINs, CVV numbers or banking credentials, attackers accessed bank accounts and extracted personal information. Consequently, Holi online scams caused financial fraud, identity theft and compromise of banking or social media accounts.
Advisory details steps to prevent Holi online scams
Therefore, Telangana Cyber Security Bureau urged citizens not to click on unknown Holi offers or festive sale links from unverified sources. Instead, it asked users to confirm event bookings and shopping deals only through trusted and official platforms.
Moreover, users must never share OTPs, verification codes or banking details with anyone, regardless of the claim. If they noticed suspicious activity, they should stop transactions immediately and inform their bank or payment provider without delay.
At the same time, victims should capture screenshots of chats, suspicious URLs and transaction records to preserve evidence. They should also change passwords for banking, email and social media accounts at once.
In addition, the bureau recommended enabling two-factor authentication on critical accounts to strengthen security. It further directed citizens to rely only on official websites and authorised app stores for payments and downloads.
Finally, officials instructed the public to report Holi online scams by dialling the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or by filing complaints at cybercrime.gov.in.
Stay alert this Holi! Cybercriminals are using fake festive offers, party passes, shopping deals, and gift links to steal your money and personal data. Avoid clicking unknown links, never share OTPs or banking details, and make payments only through trusted platforms.
If you… pic.twitter.com/8pgFXOc8fv
— TGCyberBureau (@TGCyberBureau) March 2, 2026