Mumbai, May 11: The cyber security department of Maharashtra government issued an alert on social media, asking netizens to beware of fraudulent calls and WhatsApp messages aimed at duping the receiver. Known as "KBC Registration Scam", it involves a group of fraudsters who target innocent people by masquerading as representatives of popular television quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati. Amitabh Bachchan Is Shooting for KBC in the Times of COVID-19 Pandemic, Despite a Hamstring.

The cyber security wing of Maharashtra, in a graphic representation shared on Twitter, explained how the scam works. The fraudster first reach out to their prey either through phone or a WhatsApp number -- whose display picture is the logo of KBC. They tell the potential victim that he has been selected for a lottery prize by the KBC.

The scamster then explains that to avail the lottery prize, the receiver must pay an advance processing fee which would be refundable. After being lured with a lucrative lottery amount, some of the receivers end up being defrauded. After they pay the processing amount, they are blocked from the WhatsApp number with which they were conversing.

See Maharashtra Cyber Dept's Tweet

The cyber security wing also enlists the measures through which one remains safeguarded against such fraudsters. At the foremost, one must not consider himself to be a recipient of a lottery prize if he did not participated or registered in any such lottery. Second, no contest makes it mandatory for the lottery winner to pay any processing fee in advance.

If the country code of the caller or WhatsApp number is +92 or 0092, the receiver should immediately alert the police, said the cyber security department. Further, it has also warned people to not to share any personal information with anyone over the phone.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 11, 2020 10:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).