Chennai, May 15 (IANS) Police in Tamil Nadu have warned government employees of a new WhatsApp scam in which fraudsters are posing as officials from the state's revenue department and demanding money in the name of tax payments.
The scam came to light after several government employees in the state received messages from unknown numbers asking them to pay taxes on their salaries. The messages also warned that the employees' salaries would be withheld if they did not pay the taxes.
The messages were sent from numbers that had similar names to the revenue department's official WhatsApp number. The fraudsters also used fake logos and websites of the revenue department to make the messages look authentic.
Police have advised government employees to be wary of such messages and not to share any personal or financial information with the fraudsters. They have also asked employees to report such messages to the police.
This is not the first time that WhatsApp has been used for scams in Tamil Nadu. In the past, fraudsters have used the platform to target people with fake job offers, investment schemes, and lottery wins.
Police have urged people to be careful about the messages they receive on WhatsApp and not to share any personal or financial information with strangers. They have also asked people to report any suspicious messages to the police.
Here are some tips to help you stay safe from WhatsApp scams:
Only add contacts that you know and trust to your WhatsApp.
Do not click on links from unknown numbers.
Be suspicious of any messages that ask for personal information or money.
If you think you have been scammed, report it to the police.
By following these tips, you can help to protect yourself from becoming a victim of a WhatsApp scam.