1930 Helpline
India's national emergency cyber helpline to immediately report financial fraud and initiate freezing of stolen funds in banking channels.
Plain Language Dictionary
Cyber Safety Glossary
Confused by technical acronyms or legal terms? Every definition below is written in plain words under 25 words.
Showing all 43 terms
2FA / MFA
Two-Factor Authentication: requiring two separate proofs of identity (e.g., password + authenticator code) to log into an account.
APK File
Android application installation file. Downloading APKs from WhatsApp or random websites bypasses Play Store security and can steal banking SMS.
Catfishing
Creating a fake social media or matrimonial persona to build romantic trust and eventually manipulate the victim for money.
CEIR
Central Equipment Identity Register by DoT that blocks lost or stolen mobile phones across all Indian telecom networks.
Chakshu
Government portal on Sanchar Saathi enabling citizens to report suspected fraud SMS, calls, and WhatsApp messages before money is lost.
Chargeback
A formal banking dispute mechanism to reverse an unauthorized or fraudulent transaction back to the cardholder's bank account.
Collect Request
A prompt from a UPI app asking you to pay money. Scammers pretend it is a 'refund approval' to siphon your funds.
Data Breach
A security incident where sensitive, confidential, or protected corporate or personal data is copied or viewed by unauthorized parties.
Deepfake
Synthetic video or audio generated by AI that realistically mimics a real person's appearance, expressions, or voice.
Digital Arrest (Myth)
A complete myth invented by scammers. Real police, CBI, or customs never arrest or interrogate anyone over a Skype or WhatsApp video call.
Digital Footprint
The trail of data you create while using the internet, including social posts, comments, photos, and public profile details.
Doxxing
Publishing private personal details (address, phone number, employer) online with malicious intent to encourage harassment.
e-KYC
Electronic Know Your Customer verification. Real banks never send random SMS links threatening account suspension within 24 hours.
Golden Hours
The crucial first 1 to 2 hours immediately following financial fraud when reporting to 1930 offers the highest fund-freezing success rate.
HTTPS
Encrypted communication between browser and server. HTTPS proves connection security, but does NOT prove the website owner is honest.
I4C
Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre under the Ministry of Home Affairs, coordinating national cybercrime mitigation and the 1930 helpline.
Instant-Loan App
Predatory unlicensed mobile apps offering tiny loans while accessing your contacts and gallery to harass and extort repayments.
Lookalike Domain
A fraudulent website address mimicking a real brand (e.g., 'sbi-rewardz-login.in' instead of 'sbi.co.in') to deceive visitors.
Malware
Software intentionally designed to damage a computer, server, or device, or secretly steal user credentials and financial records.
Money Mule
A person whose bank account is used by criminal networks to receive and transfer stolen fraud proceeds, often recruited under fake jobs.
Morphing
Superimposing a victim's face onto nude or compromising imagery using basic editing or AI software to blackmail them.
MPIN
Mobile Banking Personal Identification Number. A secret passcode used to authorize mobile banking and UPI payments. Never share your MPIN.
OTP (One-Time Password)
A temporary code sent to verify account access or bank transfers. Never share an OTP with anyone, including bank representatives.
Password Manager
A secure software vault that generates and remembers unique, complex passwords for every single online account.
Phishing
Fake emails, texts, or websites designed to trick you into revealing passwords, credit card numbers, or personal details.
Ponzi Scheme
An investment fraud paying returns to existing investors using money from newer investors rather than legitimate profits.
Pump-and-Dump
Artificially inflating a low-volume stock or crypto price through fake hype in Telegram groups, then dumping shares at the peak.
QR Scam
Fraud where victims are deceived into scanning payment QR codes or entering UPI PINs under the false promise of receiving refunds or rewards.
Quishing
Phishing using deceptive QR codes. Scanning them directs users to fake payment links or malicious app download pages.
Ransomware
Malicious software that encrypts a victim's files and demands payment in cryptocurrency to restore access.
Recovery Agent Scam
A secondary fraud where scammers contact past fraud victims claiming they can 'hack back' and recover lost money for an advance fee.
Remote-Access App
Legitimate tools (like AnyDesk, TeamViewer) that let someone else control your phone screen. Scammers misuse them to steal passwords.
Screen Sharing
Transmitting your live phone display to another person. Never share your screen when viewing banking apps, OTPs, or passwords.
Sextortion
Blackmail where scammers record or fabricate explicit imagery during video calls and threaten to send it to family unless paid.
Sideloading
Installing APK apps from unofficial sources outside the official Google Play Store or Apple App Store, exposing devices to malware.
SIM Swap
When a scammer convinces a telecom provider to transfer your mobile number to a new SIM card, intercepting your OTPs.
Smishing
Phishing conducted through SMS messages containing urgent warnings (electricity disconnection, bank KYC, challan) with malicious links.
Spyware
Malicious software that secretly monitors keystrokes, messages, camera feeds, and locations without user consent.
Task Scam
A fraud offering high pay for trivial tasks (liking YouTube videos, reviewing hotels) that later demands cash deposits to unlock 'earnings'.
UPI PIN
Your secret passcode used exclusively to SEND money or check balance. You NEVER need to enter your UPI PIN to receive money or refunds.
Vishing
Voice phishing where a fraudster calls claiming to be a bank officer, courier agent, or police investigator to extort money or data.
Voice Cloning
Using a short audio clip to train an AI to speak in someone's exact voice, used to trick relatives into sending emergency money.
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