Government cyber-security agency CERT-In on Sunday issued an advisory flagging several ways in which frauds are duping people to steal money and private data.

The advisory was issued on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi sounded a caution against scams such as “digital arrest” in his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, clarifying that no government agency threatens people over the phone or demands money.

“Victims of digital arrest come from all backgrounds and ages. Many have lost substantial sums of their hard-earned money. If you ever receive such a call, don’t be afraid,” he said.

“Be aware that no investigative agency conducts such interrogations over the phone or video calls. The three steps to digital security are stopping, thinking and acting. If possible, take a screenshot or record the call. No government agency issues threats over the phone or demands money.”

According to the advisory from CERT-In, “digital arrest” is an online scam where victims receive a phone call, email or message claiming they are under investigation for illegal activities such as identity theft or money laundering.

The scammer threatens the victim with arrest or legal consequences unless they act immediately. The scammers often create a sense of panic to prevent rational thinking, the advisory says.

Under the guise of “clearing their name” and “assisting with the investigation”, individuals are coerced into transferring large sums of money to specified bank accounts or UPI IDs, it adds.

CERT-In clarified that “government agencies do not use platforms like WhatsApp or Skype for official communication”.

The advisory asks people not to panic if contacted by cyber criminals, saying scammers use fear and urgency to manipulate victims. It also asks people to avoid sharing sensitive personal or financial details over the phone or video calls, especially if contacted from unknown numbers.

“If someone demands money over the phone or online, it’s most likely a scam,” the advisory says, adding that staying “vigilant and informed” is crucial to protecting oneself from this “emerging cyber threat”.

The advisory also highlights other online cons such as “phishing” and “lottery and prize” scams. Phishing involves emails or messages that appear legitimate, with the scammers often using logos and branding from trusted organisations.

In lottery and prize scams, the victims receive notifications that say they have won a huge amount of money and must pay a processing fee or taxes to claim the prize.

Through “tech support scams”, cyber criminals take advantage of a user’s lack of technical knowledge. They stealthily gain access to the user's computer by warning about a virus, and steal sensitive personal data.

The advisory also lists “investment scams” in which frauds cash in on the victims' desire to earn quick money by promising “unrealistic” returns via Ponzi or pyramid schemes.

“Mistaken money-transfer scams” are those in which scammers contact a victim via email or social media, claiming that money had been mistakenly sent to their account. The racketeers use fake transaction receipts to ask the person to return the funds immediately to avoid legal issues.

“Phone scams” are those where the victims receive calls or messages in the name of a telecom regulatory body that claim an “issue” with their service and urgently seek one-time passwords (OTPs) and banking information for identity verification.

"Parcel scams" are similar to "digital arrest". The victims are told through a call or message that their drug parcel has been seized and they would have to face arrest or other legal consequences if they don't pay a fine.