Beware! Scammers target users who watch pornographic content online
Online frauds are increasing at a much faster speed than ever before, especially the ones related to KYC and OTPs. The primary reason behind the rise in digital scams is the over-dependency on the internet, which reached an all-time high during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As internet users started to spend more time on the internet, scammers have gotten more active than ever before. The latest scam shows a “browser has been locked” pop-up to users watching porn videos.
This is an old trick that scammers are reusing to trick internet users. So, if you consume pornographic content online, beware of this wide-spreading scam.
New online scam details
As per the new report, users visiting porn sites are getting a fake pop-up warning stating that their browser has been locked for watching porn videos. The report comes from internet security researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia, who took to Twitter to share details about the online scam.
The pop-up is asking users for money in exchange to unlock the browser. To make it more real, scammers have designed the pop-up in a way that appears to be from the Ministry of Law and Justice.
The pop-up states that the computer “has been blocked” under decree number 173-279. It also notes that the browser has been locked due to “viewing and dissemination of materials forbidden by the law of India.”
The message further warns that the case materials for the said computer will be transferred to the ministry for criminal proceedings if the user doesn’t pay the penalty within 6 hours. Scammers are asking for Rs 29,000 to unlock the targetted computers. The message adds that the browser will be unlocked as soon as the payment is made.
If you have received this message/ pop-up, this is fake and a scam that you shouldn’t fall for. Keep in mind that porn is banned in India but the government never tracks people’s computers and their activities.
How to stay safe from such scams?
-The most basic thing to do to avoid getting impacted by the scam is to avoid watching porn in general. Also, it is banned in India and hence illegal.
-If you find such pop-ups in your browser, simply close the window. However, if that doesn’t seem to work, head to the Task Manager and End Task for your browser.
-Lastly, you can also go for a force shut down if such a pop-up appears on your computer screen. You must never click on such links or pop-ups as these are very common methods used by scammers to trick users and steal their money.
The post Beware! Scammers target users who watch pornographic content online appeared first on BGR India.
