Uttarakhand’s Special Task Force has sounded the alarm over a new wave of online scams falsely claiming to collect funds for the Indian Army under the banner of ‘Operation Sindoor.’ With over ₹80 crore lost in cybercrimes in the last five months, authorities urge the public to remain vigilant.
Fraud in the Name of the Nation
The Special Task Force (STF) of Uttarakhand has issued a public alert against a fast-growing cyber scam in which criminals exploit citizens’ patriotic sentiments. Operating under the guise of the Indian Army’s ‘Operation Sindoor’, the scammers are impersonating soldiers and military officials to solicit donations via fake social media profiles, messages, and websites.
According to STF Senior Superintendent of Police Navneet Bhullar, the fraudsters are playing with the emotions of citizens by misusing the Indian Army’s name and forging emotional appeals to gather fake donations. The campaign appears to be methodically designed, using real-looking army insignias, photos of soldiers, and fabricated accounts to instil trust in unsuspecting victims.
Emotional Triggers, Real Losses
SSP Bhullar stated that what’s most dangerous is that people are more likely to trust requests when they believe they’re helping our forces. That trust is what the scammers feed on. He added that the scammers often employ urgent narratives, such as medical emergencies of soldiers or calls for wartime assistance, to evoke immediate responses. Links to fraudulent donation pages are often embedded in WhatsApp forwards, Facebook posts, and even Telegram groups labelled with army operations.
The scam has already contributed to a concerning trend — the state has witnessed over ₹80 crore in losses to various cybercrimes in just five months. Although police have managed to recover a portion of the defrauded funds, the scale of the operation remains significant. On average, three to four cyber fraud cases are reported daily across Uttarakhand, and many more are likely unreported.
STF’s Cyber Security Advisory
The STF has released a set of cyber hygiene guidelines aimed at educating the public and curbing the ongoing menace. Key warnings include:
- Do not click on unknown links or download attachments from unverified messages.
- Avoid liking or interacting with suspicious social media pages claiming to support the army.
- Verify the legitimacy of any fundraising initiative directly through official defence or government channels.
- Change passwords regularly and activate two-factor authentication for all accounts.
SSP Bhullar emphasised the importance of digital self-defence and stated that Cyber fraud today is less about technology and more about psychology. Scammers prey on trust, urgency, and emotion.
The STF is also collaborating with national cybercrime cells and social media platforms to flag and remove fake profiles and content associated with Operation Sindoor scams.
While the operation has not yet led to mass arrests, investigations are underway to trace the IPs and financial routes used by the scammers. The police urge victims to report such frauds immediately through the cybercrime helpline or portal www.cybercrime.gov.in.
About the author – Prakriti Jha is a student at National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, currently pursuing B.Sc. LL.B (Hons.) with a keen interest in the intersection of law and data science. She is passionate about exploring how legal frameworks adapt to the evolving challenges of technology and justice.