At the direction of the Election Commission of India (ECI), a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign of the voter list is being conducted in several states across the country. Regarding this, voters are being asked to fill out forms for verification. Meanwhile, cyber criminals are making people their victims under the guise of SIR. So far, many such cases have come to light where people were attempted to be defrauded in the name of updating the voter list. Keeping this in mind, the Home Department of the Government of Madhya Pradesh recently shared an advisory from its official X handle. It advises people to be careful of fraud happening in the name of SIR forms. In such a situation, it is very important to understand the difference between the real and fake SIR process. So, today in the Cyber Literacy column, we will talk about this scam happening in the name of SIR. Question- What is SIR? Answer- SIR, which stands for Special Intensive Revision, is a door-to-door voter list verification process conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI). According to the ECI, the main objective of this campaign is to prepare a voter list that is completely accurate, includes the name of every eligible voter correctly, and does not contain any duplicate, fake, or ineligible names. Question- How is the SIR name being used for scams? Answer- Cyber fraudsters are sending fake links and APK files to people in the name of SIR. They call pretending to be election officials and say, ‘Your name might be removed from the voter list, fill this form immediately.’ As soon as people open that link or file, the fraudsters gain access to their mobile. After that, they ask for OTPs to empty bank accounts or steal data present on the phone. Understand how fraudsters carry out this scam from the graphic given below. Question – How to know if a link received in a message is fake? Answer – If a link received in a message asks you to download something or click immediately in the name of SIR, voter verification, or government work, then it is a fraud. Understand some signs to identify fake links carefully- Do not open any such link and delete it immediately. Question – What information do scammers ask for in the name of SIR? Answer- Scammers aim to steal user’s identity and banking data. That’s why they ask for sensitive information in the name of SIR. Such as- Question- Is there an official call for SIR? Answer- No, there is no official call for SIR. In this process, only your Booth Level Officer (BLO) comes to your house to collect information or gives an official notice. Question- What is the correct way to update your Voter ID in SIR? Answer- SIR, updates are done only through the Booth Level Officer (BLO). For this, you do not need to click on any link, download an APK, or share an OTP. Let’s understand this step-by-step. If you did not receive the EF or the BLO did not arrive, register a complaint on the Voter Helpline App (VHA), 1950 helpline, or voters.eci.gov.in. You can also contact the local ERO. Question- What should be done immediately if you fall victim to a scam in the name of SIR? Answer- If you fall victim to an online fraud in the name of SIR, take some immediate actions without delay. Question – What are the ways to avoid scams happening in the name of SIR? Answer – Vigilance is the easiest way to avoid this. Remember, the Election Commission or BLO never ask to click on any link, download APK files, share OTPs, or provide bank details. Always ensure that the BLO is the appointed employee for your area, they have an official ID, and they are providing the enumeration form by visiting your home or locality. Only trust any call, message, or WhatsApp link after you have confirmed its authenticity. Understand ways to avoid this fraud from the graphic below-
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