SIR becomes new bait used by cyber fraudsters for targeting elderly citizens

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has created a new opportunity for cyber fraudsters to defraud elderly citizens. Scammers impersonate officials from the Election Commission to target voters, with a particular focus on the elderly. In one recent incident, a man in his late 70s from Wadgaon Budruk, Pune, lost Rs 4.98 lakh after falling for a scam involving SIR records.

Initially contacted by phone in early August, the victim later received a WhatsApp video call and was directed to download APK files, which ultimately led to unauthorized transactions from his account. Cyber fraudsters exploit the ongoing SIR process to appear credible and then create urgency, offering to resolve the supposed issue through a download, link, or payment.

Police warn that simply knowing details about SIR does not make a call legitimate and advise citizens not to download APK files, share banking credentials, or make payments based on unsolicited advice. Victims should verify communications directly with their local election officials or Booth Level Officer and report any financial losses to their bank and the national cybercrime reporting mechanism.