TL;DR:Ā Fraudsters posing as government officialsĀ are targeting parents of school students in Tamil Nadu, especially those in Classes 10 and 12. The scammers claim students have earned scholarships, tricking parents into sharing bank and UPI details. Some families have lost ā¹5,000 to ā¹25,000Ā before realizing itās a scam! šØ
š How the Scam Works
Scammers use student dataĀ (like school details, parent names, and addresses) to sound legitimate. They request UPI-linked phone numbersĀ under the pretext of depositing scholarship money. In some cases, fraudsters send QR codesĀ that, when scanned, drain the victimsā accounts. šµļøāāļø
š Why Itās Spreading Fast
One government school in TirunelveliĀ reported six families being scammed. The school education department is now urging parents to stay vigilantĀ and warning teachers to spread awarenessĀ about these fraudulent schemes.
š” MediaFx Opinion: Time for Stricter Digital Safeguards
Itās unacceptable that scammers access student data. While educating parents is essential, the government must also strengthen data protectionĀ policies to avoid such leaks. Schools and police need to work proactivelyĀ to prevent these scams from spreading further.
Have you or someone you know experienced online fraud? Share your thoughts below! š
