Fishing attacks are a significant cybersecurity threat affecting various sectors in India, including the rapidly growing digital payment ecosystem. Popular Indian digital payment platforms like Paytm, PhonePe, and Google Pay have become prime targets for these attacks.
Attackers often create fake websites or send deceptive messages pretending to be from these legitimate services, tricking users into revealing sensitive information such as login credentials, UPI PINs, or bank details. These fraudulent communications typically create a sense of urgency, claiming issues with the user\“s account that require immediate attention.
Many Indian users, particularly those new to digital transactions, fall victim to these schemes due to limited awareness about cybersecurity best practices. The attacks frequently leverage local language messages and culturally relevant contexts to appear more authentic and trustworthy to potential victims.
To combat fishing attacks, Indian cybersecurity agencies and financial institutions have launched public awareness campaigns educating users about verifying sender identities, avoiding suspicious links, and using official apps from trusted sources. The implementation of two-factor authentication and regular security updates has also been crucial in protecting Indian consumers from these evolving threats. |