SRINAGAR: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) Kashmir has issued a public advisory warning social media users about an ongoing phishing campaign on X (formerly Twitter), cautioning that cybercriminals are using fake voting links to compromise accounts.
Cyber security expert and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), SIA Kashmir, Tahir Ashraf, said users are receiving fraudulent voting requests from accounts that have already been compromised.
“Users are receiving fake voting requests from accounts that have already been hacked. Clicking the link can compromise your account instantly,” Ashraf said in a post on X.
According to the advisory, once an account is compromised, attackers change the user’s login credentials, demand payment to restore access, and then misuse the hacked account to send similar phishing links to the victim’s contacts, allowing the scam to spread further.
The SSP urged users not to click on suspicious voting links, even if they appear to have been sent by friends, colleagues or other trusted contacts.
“Don’t click suspicious voting links—even if they come from someone you know,” the advisory stated.
Ashraf also advised social media users to verify unexpected messages through alternative means and immediately report suspicious activity to help prevent further spread of the phishing campaign.
