Government Warning: Do Not Ignore This Message—Risk of Major Fraud

The government has issued a new alert to help people avoid fraud. Citizens are advised not to ignore messages received on their phones; a single mistake could prove costly.

The government has issued a fresh warning regarding cyber fraud. The Ministry of Home Affairs' cyber security wing, I4C, has alerted the public through 'Cyber ​​Dost'. Ignoring a specific SMS received on your phone could lead to a major fraud incident; therefore, it is crucial to pay attention to every message alert you receive.

CyberDostI4C announced via its official X handle that the government has implemented a new system: if call forwarding is activated on your number, you will be immediately notified via SMS. This measure has been introduced to curb the rapidly rising cases of cyber fraud.

Do Not Ignore This Message

Cyber ​​Dost explained that an SMS alert will be sent to your registered mobile number the moment call forwarding is activated. If you did not request call forwarding, you must disable it immediately.

To disable call forwarding, simply dial ##002# on your phone's keypad. Dialing this code will immediately stop call forwarding.

Additionally, the government has warned people against dialing call forwarding codes at someone else's behest without verification. Doing so could result in incoming calls intended for your number being forwarded to another number.

Avoid This Mistake

Cybercriminals could trigger an OTP request to your number; if call forwarding is active, that OTP would be redirected to their number. Once they obtain the OTP, they could withdraw money from your bank account or compromise your digital identity.

Therefore, it is essential to always remain vigilant regarding SMS alerts related to call forwarding. Do not ignore any such message. If you receive one, immediately deactivate call forwarding by dialing the provided codes. Several such cases have come to light where cybercriminals fraudulently activated call forwarding on victims' numbers and drained their bank accounts.