Rajasthan Police on Thursday issued a public advisory warning citizens about a rise in cyber fraud attempts being carried out under the pretext of the Central Government’s upcoming digital census initiative.
The Cyber Crime Branch said fraudsters were posing as census officials to collect sensitive personal and financial information from unsuspecting people.
How the frauds are being carried out
According to the advisory, cybercriminals are mainly using three methods to target victims. In the first, they place fake calls while impersonating census officials and seek details such as family information, Aadhaar numbers and bank account data. Victims are sometimes persuaded to download screen-sharing applications such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer, allowing fraudsters to take control of their mobile devices and siphon money from banking applications.
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In the second method, criminals visit homes posing as survey officials and use tablets to appear legitimate while collecting household information. During this process, they may ask for a one-time password, which is in fact linked to unauthorised banking transactions.
The third method involves fraudulent SMS messages warning people that failure to update census details will lead to suspension of government benefits. Police said such messages contain malicious links that can compromise personal and financial data.
Official process and police clarification
The advisory was issued on the directions of Additional Director General of Police, Cyber Crime, V.K. Singh. Deputy Inspector General of Police, Cyber Crime, Shantanu Kumar Singh said the Government of India has introduced a self-enumeration facility for the digital census and that citizens must use only the official website, se.census.gov.in.
He said the self-enumeration process will remain open from May 1 to May 15, 2026, and stressed that the entire process is free of cost. Police said that any demand for money, whether for verification codes, QR codes or registration, should be treated as a clear sign of fraud.
Steps citizens have been asked to follow
The advisory urged people to remain vigilant and avoid suspicious links and messages, particularly those offering free rations or government benefits. Residents have been advised not to share one-time passwords, bank details or Aadhaar information with unknown persons, and to verify the identity cards of anyone visiting their homes for census-related work.
Police also asked citizens to cross-check credentials with their local Booth Level Officer if needed. In cases of cyber fraud or attempted fraud, people were advised to act immediately by calling the national cyber fraud helpline 1930, contacting the cyber helpdesk at 9256001930 or 9257510100, reporting the incident on the official cybercrime portal, or approaching the nearest police or cyber police station.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
