Jaipur, August 2026 : Rajasthan Police has issued a cyber safety advisory ahead of the upcoming general elections to urban local bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions, warning voters, election candidates, political workers and personnel deployed on election duty about possible cyber fraud and the spread of misleading information.
The advisory has been issued on the directions of Director General of Police Rajiv Kumar Sharma as part of efforts to prevent cybercrime and increase public awareness about online safety.
Additional Director General of Police, Cyber Crime and Technical Services, V.K. Singh, said the Cyber Crime Branch at Police Headquarters has specifically warned citizens to remain cautious about fake links, OTP requests, QR codes, phishing emails and deepfake or fake news during the election period.
Beware of Fake “Check Your Name in Voter List” Links
Cybercriminals may send WhatsApp or SMS messages such as “Check your name in the voter list” or “Your polling booth has been changed” and persuade recipients to click on fraudulent links.
Police have advised citizens not to click on suspicious links. Voters should obtain electoral roll and polling-related information only through the official websites of the State Election Commission, Rajasthan, and the Chief Electoral Officer, Rajasthan.
Never Share OTP or Banking Details
The advisory warns citizens against sharing OTPs, bank account details, UPI PINs or other personal information with anyone claiming to be an election official.
Fraudsters may contact voters in the name of voter ID updates, verification or other election-related procedures and ask for sensitive information. Police stressed that legitimate officials will not require citizens to disclose their OTP or UPI PIN.
Verify Viral Videos and Audio
During elections, fake videos, audio clips, speeches and deepfake content featuring political leaders may circulate widely on social media.
Citizens have been advised not to believe or forward such content without verifying its authenticity through official sources. Any suspicious or misleading material should be cross-checked before being shared.
Candidates and Workers Should Secure Social Media Accounts
Election candidates and political workers have been advised to activate two-factor authentication on their Facebook, Instagram, X and WhatsApp accounts.
They should use strong passwords and avoid entering login credentials through unknown or suspicious links.
QR Code Fraud in the Name of Donations
Police have also warned candidates and political workers about fraudulent UPI links and QR codes circulated in the name of election donations or fundraising.
Citizens should carefully verify payment details before making any transaction. Police reiterated that a person does not need to enter a UPI PIN to receive money. Users should never enter their PIN merely because someone asks them to scan a QR code.
WhatsApp Group Administrators Urged to Stay Alert
WhatsApp group administrators have been advised to restrict posting permissions in election-related groups to trusted members. Using the “Only Admins” setting can help reduce the circulation of misleading, offensive or fraudulent content.
Election Personnel Told to Avoid Unsafe Networks
Personnel engaged in election duties have been advised not to share sensitive election data or information related to EVMs and VVPATs through personal devices or unsecured networks and public Wi-Fi.
They should also avoid opening election-related circulars, links or attachments received from unknown email addresses unless their authenticity has been verified.
Report Financial Fraud Immediately
Rajasthan Police has urged anyone who becomes a victim of cyber financial fraud to report the incident immediately by calling 1930. Complaints can also be lodged at the nearest police station or cyber police station, or through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
The police have also provided cyber helpdesk numbers 9256001930 and 9257510100 for reporting incidents in Rajasthan.
Police Appeal to Citizens
Rajasthan Police has appealed to citizens to remain vigilant throughout the election process and verify the source of election-related information before trusting or sharing it.
The police emphasised the message: “A vigilant voter is a safe voter.” Citizens have been urged to immediately inform the authorities if they encounter cyber fraud, suspicious links or misleading election-related content.
