Hyderabad police caution people over fraudsters manipulating search engine results

The Hyderabad city police have cautioned citizens against being misled by fraudulent websites that appear at the top of online search results.

Hyderabad Commissioner of Police V. C. Sajjanar in an advisory said that cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting search engine rankings to deceive internet users. He said many people assume that websites appearing at the top of search results or those marked as sponsored are trustworthy, but visibility on a search engine does not guarantee authenticity.

According to him, fraudsters are using paid advertisements and advanced search engine optimisation techniques to push fake websites to the top of search results. These websites often impersonate government portals, banks and well known brands.

He said the fraud typically begins when users search online for customer care numbers, payment services or official websites. Scammers create phishing websites that closely resemble genuine platforms and promote them through online advertisements. As these fake sites rank high in search results, users are more likely to click on them.

Once on such pages, victims are prompted to share personal details, login credentials or make payments, leading to financial loss and possible identity theft.

The Commissioner advised users to exercise caution and verify website URLs carefully before entering any personal or financial information. He said people should not rely solely on search rankings or sponsored labels as proof of authenticity, and instead access official websites directly by typing the correct web address or using trusted sources.

In case of suspected cyber fraud, he urged citizens to immediately report the matter to the national cyber crime helpline on 1930 to help prevent further damage.